The Annotated Night Before Christmas
Language: English
Published by Summit Books, 1991
- Hardcover
- Used
Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.World of Books Inc
AbeBooks seller since March 23, 2026
Condition: Used - Very good
£ 6.61
Quantity: 2 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
These familiar words begin the classic poem that has become a staple of America's annual Christmas ritual along with Dickens's A Christmas Carol and Dr. Seuss's The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. But how many people know anything about the origin and history of this enduring holiday favorite? In this engrossing, superbly researched, and beautifully illustrated book, Martin Gardner traces the beginnings of this beloved poem and its gradual rise to fame as an indispensable part of our yearly Christmas celebration. Beginning with a discussion about whether or not to allow children to believe in Santa Claus, Gardner recounts the history of the famous poem. In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore, a scholar of classical and Oriental languages, dashed off the ballad merely as a way of entertaining his two young daughters at Christmas. Originally titled A Visit from Saint Nicholas, the poem describes an elf-sized Santa Claus and tiny reindeer, so getting down the chimney was no stretch of the imagination. After the poem was published in a Troy, NY newspaper, its popularity quickly grew and the cult of Santa Claus took off. Copious illustrations show Santa's evolution in the hands of various artists. After setting forth the original poem, Martin Gardner proceeds to later imitations, parodies, and sequels, beginning with a series of hilarious specimens all titled The Night After Christmas. The book concludes with a discussion of the only significant addition to the Santa Claus legend since Moore's -- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Born as the hero of a Montgomery Ward Christmas giveaway pamphlet, Rudolph became famous when songwriter Johnny Marks put him into a song that swept not only the nation but also the world. This wonderful tribute to the greatest Christmas poem of all time is the perfect holiday gift and a superb addition to Christmas book collections. …
Seller Inventory # CIN0671708392VG
- Title
- The Annotated Night Before Christmas
- Author
- Martin Gardner
- Publisher
- Summit Books
- Publication year
- 1991
- Condition
- Very Good
- Binding
- Hardback
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 0671708392
- ISBN 13
- 9780671708399
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review
- Wall Street Journal "Gardner has done a service in his annotations and searching out of new fodder."
- Denver Post & Rocky Mountain News "[A] richly illustrated volume....there are lots of fun things here."
- Statesman-Journal/Salem "Edited by Martin Gardiner, the familiar words of Clement Clarke Moore's beloved poem have been the jumping off point for all manner of parodies, sequels, and imitations. Shamelessly and hilariously, this book collects them for the pleasure of readers who cannot get enough Christmas cheer out of the original work. For golfers, there's even 'A Visit from Jack Nicklaus.' There's Santa in Florida and Santa the astronaut and, of course, 'Get With It, Santa Baby.'"
- Bookviews
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
World of Books Inc
Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
AbeBooks seller since March 23, 2026
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Founded in 2002, World of Books is a leading online destination for buying and selling both preloved and new books, committed to making sustainable reading accessible to all. With a mission to help people read more and waste less, World of Books offers a huge range of affordable, high-quality books — giving both new and preloved titles a second life. The company also operates World of Books – Sell Your Books, an easy-to-use platform that allows customers to trade in unwanted books for cash, helping to keep books in circulation while promoting sustainability. As a Certified B Corp, World of Books is driven by a vision to become the world’s largest and most sustainable dedicated online bookstore. The company measures its success through the positive environmental impact it creates, the value it provides to customers, and its ability to operate profitably while supporting its sustainable mission …
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