’Twas the Night before Christmas

Selections from the collections of Woodmere and the Germantown Historical Society bring to life the classic poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, commonly known as The Night Before Christmas. Written by Clement Clark Moore in 1822, the poem was published in newspapers, almanacs, and magazines and remains a favorite for holiday celebrations. Surrounded by nineteenth-century children’s toys; holiday trimmings; a sculpture of Belsnickel, a Christmas figure from German folklore and the predecessor of the modern Santa Claus;  and an extraordinary dollhouse replica of a Germantown row home, visitors are transported back in time with this festive exhibition organized for all generations of “wondering eyes.”