The Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Ave. New York, N.Y., has acquired the earliest manuscript with color illustrations of the poem A Visit From St. Nicholas (more famously known as The Night Before Christmas) by Clement Clarke Moore. The book, illustrated by Moores daughter, Mary Clarke Moore Ogden, will be on view this holiday season in J. Pierpont Morgans Library along with the famous manuscript of Charles Dickenss A Christmas Carol from now until Jan. 5, 2025. Clement Clarke Moore (17791863) wrote A Visit from St. Nicholas in 1822. It is believed that a family friend sent a copy of the poem to the Troy Sentinel newspaper in Troy, N.Y., which published it anonymously on Dec. 23, 1823. It was attributed to Moore in 1837. In the poem, Moore originated many of the features that are still associated with Santa Claus today. This manuscript was illustrated by Moores daughter, Mary Clarke Moore Ogden (181993), and given to her husband, John Doughty Ogden, as a Christmas present in 1855. The volume features the first color illustrations of the poem, set as miniature vignettes within the decorative border surrounding the text. On one of the pages she depicted the house in the Chelsea section of New York City where she and her eight brothers and sisters heard the poem recited by her father every Christmas. Other notable features include the original text of the poems second-to-last line, reading Happy Christmas to all, which would later be changed to Merry Christmas to all. The volume has long been treasured by the Ogden family. It was gifted to the museum by the family in recognition of the Morgans centennial. To learn more, visit www.themorgan.org.