National Museum of Play Online Collections

The Night Before Christmas

board game

1896

Contemporary images of Santa Claus owe a large part of their appearance to artist Thomas Nast's late-19th century cartoons of the jolly character. Nast and other artists of his time created their Santas from European legends of St. Nicholas and from the American Clement Moore's poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas," first published in 1823. The poem remained popular throughout the latter half of the 19th century and throughout the 20th. It is not surprising that board game manufacturers brought out games with holiday or Santa Claus themes, since the holidays prompted the biggest sales. Parker Brothers published this version in 1896.

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