Twas the night The art and history of the classic Christmas poem

A nonfiction book offers an in-depth look at the creation and history of a classic Christmas poem. In celebration of the bicentennial of the Christmas season's most well-known and oft-recited poem, "A Visit From St. Nicholas" (also commonly referred to as " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas"), McColl provides a collection of illustrations, snippets of literature, and historical tidbits related to Clement Clark Moore's renowned rhyme. The author's illuminating peek into the formulation and reception of the poem is well organized, with lovely, colorful images from various sources peppering the pages of text. Readers are given not only the background of the poem--written in 1822 and published in 1823--but also the origins of St. Nicholas and the varying cultural customs tied to Christmas throughout history. For example, McColl notes how Saturnalia was "the most popular festival in the Julian calendar" before Christianity became widespread. Similarly, readers can examine the use of Santa Claus' image in popular culture--he appears in an Andy Warhol series--and how the belief in witchcraft in Colonial New England affected the region's holiday celebrations. A highlight of the author's extensive compilation turns out to be the holiday poems interspersed throughout, such as Louisa May Alcott's "A Song for a Christmas Tree" (1871) and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "Christmas Bells" (1863). McColl's book, which seeks to present "selected images, along with dozens of literary excerpts, to illustrate the way in which…'Twas the Night, drew inspiration from the historical record of artistic expression and winter celebrations in western culture," does just that. Though mainly told through quotes or passages from others, with some of her own observations sprinkled in between, the author's commemoration is a detailed, thorough, and beautiful work for lovers of Christmas and fans of the holiday's most famous poem. A delightful and informative exploration of "A Visit From St. Nicholas" for the holiday season. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.