The author of a book detailing the history of a beloved Christmas poem will be signing copies at Kingfisher Bookstore this weekend.

Pamela McColl, author of “Twas the Night: The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem” will be at the Coupeville bookstore from 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 17.

Her book came out in September — she said she chose this year for the book’s release because it coincides with the poem’s bicentennial. “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” more commonly known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” was written by Clement Clarke Moore in 1822 and first published anonymously on Dec. 23, 1823.

McColl’s book takes readers through the history of the poem, the origins of St. Nicholas and a number of Christmas-related customs across different cultures. The book also contains a collection of illustrations related to the poem and a compilation of other holiday literature.

“Twas the Night” has been a decade in the making, McColl said. McColl, a longtime art consultant with a history background, decided she wanted to do something to honor the 200th anniversary of the poem that has become such an integrated part of Christmas Eve tradition.

She traveled the country for 10 years, visitings museums and archives and compiling as much information as she could about the poem and related Christmas traditions, and published in September with great success.

“It’s turned out to be this really magical project,” she said.

McColl is from Vancouver, Canada. She was drawn to Whidbey Island to host a signing when she heard about “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas – 1776,” a production currently running at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts.

The musical, with script by South Whidbey resident Elizabeth Itaya and score by her son Joseph, tells the story of a figure of legend who may have been the inspiration behind Moore’s classic poem. McColl said she hopes to meet the playwright and share primary sources relating to the poem they have both studied.