Clement C. Moore wrote "A Visit from Saint Nicholas," better known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," as a gift for his children. If an enthusiastic houseguest had not sent the poem to a local newspaper editor, the jolly old elf who traveled by reindeer-drawn sleigh might have enlivened only one family's traditions.

The Huntington Library's special edition of A Visit from Saint Nicholas is the first to include replicas of the poem written in Moore's own hand and a facsimile of the original 1869 four-color edition, Visit of St. Nicholas, one of the first American children's books printed in color. This modern reproduction of the two items, both in the Huntington's collections, uses state-of-the-art methods to match the character of the original McLoughlin Brothers edition as closely as possible. Whimsical illustrations by an anonymous 19th-century artist show St. Nick delivering a toy drum, a rocking horse, and Union soldier figurines to the cherubic children asleep in their beds.

Both the poem written out by the author in 1856 and one of the first American color illustrated children's books have been hidden for years in museums and private collections. The Huntingtons facsimile edition now makes them available for all to enjoy. Readers and collectors will cherish and appreciate the books colorful, quaint illustrations and fine quality printing.