For those looking to get a taste of Christmas Past, a Chelsea art exhibit is bringing some of the holiday's artifacts back to life. NY1's Zack Fink filed the following report.

Christmas in the city, 19th century style, has come to town. It's on display at the entry to a rare antiques and fine arts show that just opened in Chelsea.

"We put the show together about five months ago. We had a great reaction from our exhibitors. There is no finer place to be than New York City at Christmas time," said JMK Shows President Allison Kohler.

The National Christmas Center, which operates a museum in Pennsylvania, put together the display. It includes some of the earliest depictions of Santa Claus.

"Well we have a copy of the very first image of Santa in America. And it was done by the New York Historical Society in 1810. And it's the Dutch "Sinter Claus." But that's who the American Santa is," said Santa Jim Morrison.

The exhibit also includes copies of some original Christmas classics, such as Miracle on 34th Street and a bit of real Christmas history.

"We have a copy of the letter that little Virginia O'Hanlon wrote in 1897 to the New York Sun asking if there really was a Santa Claus. The editorial reply is the most widely read editorial ever written," Morrison said.

There's also a copy of Clement Moore's "Visit from Saint Nicholas", the story he wrote for his daughter in 1821 that started "Twas the Night Before Christmas." The Moore family lived on a 19-acre farm in what is now Chelsea.

There's also a display featuring what the center calls "Dangerous Christmas." That includes decorations and ornaments that are no longer used such as fake snow that contains asbestos, and plastic covered bulbs that were not such a good idea.

"They put hot bulbs in them and they caught on fire," Morrison said.

More than 50 vendors are taking part at the Chelsea Pavilion and are offering fine arts and antiques for sale. It's open to the public until 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.