Draw close to the fire, all you who believe in the spirit of Christmas, whether you call it Santa Claus, or simply good will to men; and listen to the story of Nicholas the Wandering Orphan who became Nicholas the Wood-carver, a lover of little children. Follow him through his first years as a lonely little boy, who had the knack of carving playthings for children; then as a young man, busy over the little toys; then as a prosperous, fat, rosy old man, who overcomes all sorts of difficulties in order to attain his ambition, a toy for every child in the village. Learn how he started to drive a beautiful sleigh drawn by prancing reindeer; why he first came down a chimney; how he filled the first stocking; where the first Christmas tree was decorated; and finally how he came to be known as “Saint Nicholas” and “Santa Claus.”

Published three years before the author achieved fame as the creator of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this engaging volume, inspired by well-known nursery rhymes, added an exciting new dimension to old, much-loved verses. In 22 captivating fantasies, Baum tells about Old King Cole; The Man in the Moon; The Jolly Miller; Little Bo-Peep; Tom, the Piper’s Son; The Woman Who Lived in a Shoe; Little Miss Muffet; The Cat and the Fiddle, and others. Twelve charming drawings by famed illustrator Maxfield Parrish enhance a unique collection that will delight Baum admirers, youngsters, and the young at heart.