25 Days – Book 6: The Night Before Christmas (Weisgard)

Day 6 of our Christmas countdown and I present yet another version of that famed Christmas poem. This is a classic version from a classic illustrator. Enjoy The Night Before Christmas written by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard, 1949.

First off, I adore these end papers. I’ve never really thought about what it feels like among the branches of a Christmas tree, but these end papers make me think about it.

The text of this book are the straight-forward, familiar poem by Moore. What I smile about this book is Weisgard’s touch. The layout, which I’m not sure if he handled or a book designer, is pretty unique. Oversized text inside shapes, odd room perspectives, interesting spreads of close-up details and a pretty classic-style Santa.

All of these things make for a unique experience of a mid-century style home and Santa. Christmas often has a nostalgic feeling around it and this book hits all the right notes to match that.

I have a couple more versions of this poem for this countdown. And that makes me curious: do you have a favorite The Night Before Christmas book?