Author and historian Pamela McColl is a Canadian publisher specializing in Christmas books, including Twas The Night – The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem, Wondrous Mrs. Claus – A Literary and Pictorial Review of the Christmas Character, and What Would Mrs. Claus Do?
In 2012, McColl garnered worldwide attention from The Colbert Report to the BBC when she published the first-ever smoke-free/pipe-free edition of the famous poem Twas The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore. In this notable edition, McColl edited the classic poem to remove references to Santa Claus as a smoker, sparking significant public interest and discussion. The edited version garnered national and international media coverage, including the front page of The National Post, The View, NBC Nightly News, and other major outlets. The edition won eight book awards and earned best-seller status on Amazon.com in the American poetry category.
In 2023/2024, the poem turned 200, and McColl celebrated its milestone across North America, speaking at museums, libraries, and bookstores about the poem’s legacy. Over the past thirteen years, she has become a sought-after speaker on the literary and artistic history of the North American Christmas tradition. The author refers to the treasured poem as the most often read, recited, reprinted, and collected work in the entire library of English literature. Her company publishes the poem in gift hardcover, paperbacks, board books for babies and toddlers, and in English, French and Spanish editions. Her title Twas The Night – The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem won the silver history award at the 2023 Benjamin Franklin Book Awards.
McColl’s 2025 releases feature the fabulous character Mrs. Claus. Wondrous Mrs. Claus – A Literary and Pictorial Review stands as the first publication to thoroughly document Mrs. Claus’s story through a chronology of stories, poems and illustrations featuring the character since her arrival on the literary scene in the mid-19th century. Released on September 23, 2025, the book quickly became a runaway best-seller, selling out its initial print run within 30 days. “What Would Mrs. Claus Do?” is an inspirational, festive title offering readers wisdom and guidance from Mrs. Claus herself. The charming book fits within the genre of works such as What Would Dolly Do?, What Would Audrey Do?, What Would Grace Do?, and What Would Frida Do?
Pamela McColl will be signing her books at Home for the Holidays 2025 and will be pleased to discuss her publications with attendees. A limited number of copies of Wondrous Mrs. Claus have been reserved specifically for the event.
