November 1, 2025 – January 11, 2026
“A Visit from St. Nicholas,” referred to as “The Night Before Christmas” a poem by Clement C. Moore, was first published in 1823. For the past two hundred years, it has been reprinted in everything from almanacs to advertisements; it’s been dramatized, satirized, parodied, and set to music. It’s been published in newspapers, dramatized on stage, retold on film, recited over the radio, performed on television, and posted on the Internet. And most especially it’s been read and reread to ten generations of children around the world.
The poem’s depiction of Santa Claus as a jolly and generous figure influenced subsequent representations of the Christmas icon and became an integral part of the American holiday tradition. Its enduring popularity and cultural significance have solidified “A Visit from St. Nicholas” as a timeless tribute to the spirit of Christmas.
This holiday classic has been reimagined in a national traveling exhibit titled, The Quilter’s Night Before Christmas. Curated by Sue Reich, an award winning quilter, AQS quilt appraiser, quilt author, historian, and lecturer, the exhibit was created by quilters across the country. Each quilter was assigned a part of the holiday poem to interpret in color, theme, stitch, and story.
Reich challenged her quilt-making friends, to pick a stanza from the poem and re-create their “The Night Before Christmas” memories. Criteria for creating each quilt included the size, 24 x 30 inches, and each quilt had to include a miniature quilt or quilted image somewhere in the quilt. The result is a “Night Before Christmas” holiday treasure, featuring 29 quilts, that invite fans of the beloved holiday poem to experience it anew in three dimensions.
The Quilter’s Night Before Christmas exhibition, will make its first South Carolina appearance at the Upcountry History Museum, November 1, 2025, through January 11, 2026.
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