Many Americans are familiar with Clement Clarke Moore’s classic poem about a mysterious Christmas Eve visit from St. Nicholas. Moore, who was a well-known biblical scholar and theologian wrote “A Visit from St. Nicholas” for his children and wife in 1823. About 150 years later, Nancy H. Marshall (1932-2018) started collecting editions of the poem, which is today better known as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.

At first Marshall bought inexpensive books to fill her children’s stockings and decorate her home during the Christmas holiday. But over time the collection expanded to include rare and early editions as well as twentieth-century versions that were sometimes retellings of the classic story. After having spent more than a decade as the Dean of William & Mary Libraries, Marshall began donating her collection to the Special Collections Research Center in 2005. Today, students, scholars, and visitors young and old enjoy the many treasures of the Nancy H. Marshall “A Visit from St. Nicholas” Collection.

Visit the archived website created for Nancy H. Marshall's The Night Before Christmas: A Descriptive Bibliography of Clement Clarke Moore's Immortal Poem (Oak Knoll Press, 2002.)