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'Twas the Night Before Christmas
2009
2009In 1822 the Reverend Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem, A Visit from Saint Nicholas, for his children. He borrowed some ideas and images from the Dutch immigrants to New York state and one or two other stories. Later a family friend had the poem published anonymously, and it appeared sporadically in newspapers. In 1844 Moore published a volume of his poetry and included the Chrismas poem. Since then dozens of versions of the poem have been published and school children across the country have heard and recited the familiar words - "twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.
The following images show one hundred years of illustrations from this familiar poem.
After the illustrations, you can view scenes from the museum's 2009 exhibit.
1848 A Vist from St. Nicholas. With original cuts designed and engraved by Boyd, New York
1883 The Night Before Christmas. Illustrated by William T. Smedley, Frederick B. Schell, Alfred Fredericks, Henry R. Poore, Philadelphia
1888 A Visit from St. Nicholas. Macloughlin Brothers
1912 Twas the Night Before Christmas A Visit from St. Nicholas.
Illustrated by Jessie Wilcox Smith, Boston
1937 A Visit from St. Nicholas. Illustraated by Berta & Lemer Hader, a popular husband and wife team.
1939 The Night Before Christmas. Illustrated by Mr. Johnson. This shows the standard 20th century view of Santa.
1949 The Night Before Christmas. Illustrated by Corrine Malvern. Western Publishing, Racine, Wis.
1941 The Night Before Christmas. By Saalfield Pub. Co., Akron, Ohio
1943 The Night Before Christmas Illustrated by Ethel Bonney Taylor. Whitman Publ., Racine, Wis.
1840s A recently arrived German immigrant family celebrated Christmas as they had in the old country with a table top tree and favorite holiday cookies like springerle.
1880s Not all the families who celebrated Christmas decorated a tree in their home, but the stores sold imported glass, paper, and tinsel ornaments for the families that did. No one could ever over-decorate in the 1880s. Families continued to hang treats on the tree and also placed Christmas gifts on the tree.
1920s This prosperous family has all the modern comforts of the day - radio and electric power for the tree lights and the toy train. A girl's craft book published that decade gave directions for tie dying - an idea borrowed from the Japanese and decades before the hippies. Lincoln Logs were the new building toy and an easier to use camera was another popular gift.
1950s This family has been paying attention to the styles of the time. Magazines had dozens of ideas for decorating including the mobile. New materials meant new designs like the stacked plastic tree. Dropping prices made the television possible for some families. Still the holiday continued to favor traditional decorations. The icicles are made of lead which gives them shine and good draping ability.
Winter should be enjoyed, not endured so fly down the road on a fast cutter or try out your new sled, skis or skates.
Standard gauge Lionel trains and accessories.
Searching for prizes in the bran pie
Platteville Children's Choir, Cantabile
Platteville Children's Choir, Choristers
'Twas the Night Before Christmas
2009 Exhibit at the Museum
2009 Exhibit at the Museum