Where did the best-loved traditions that make Christmas America's favourite holiday originate? With vintage illustrations by artists such as Thomas Nast, Everett Shinn, Al Hirschfeld, Arthur Rackham and others, "Inventing Christmas" explains how most of America's traditions evolved over the 25-year period from 1822 (when Clement Clarke Moore's "A Visit from St Nicholas" was published) to 1848. Jock Elliott, who has been collecting Christmas ephemera for over 50 years, shows how Santa, the Christmas tree, gift-giving and Scrooge all came to signify Christmas.

Author Biography

Jock Elliott, Chairman Emeritus of the advertising firm Ogilvy & Mather, has been collecting Christmas ephemera for over 50 years. His collection, comprised of over 3000 pieces, ranges from the first appearance of the Christmas story in the Algonquin language to Charles Dickens's reading copy of A Christmas Carol. Mr. Elliott lives in New York with his wife, Elly.