Letters from the children of Christmas Past.
RHINELANDER, WI—1933. Dear Santa Claus, I am sorry I haven’t wrote before but my pet dog got his leg broke and I thought we would hafta have him killed but he will get well.
…I am nine years old and bring me, dear old Santa, what you think is best for me. But as long as my dog will get well that is all I ask you. But I would like to see you.
Bye-bye, dear Santa,
Wayne Akey
CHICAGO—1901. Dear Saint Nicholaus, I love you next to God. So if you can please bring me a billygote.
ST. LOUIS—1886. Dear Mr. Santa Claus: You forgot me last year, Christmas. Please don’t forget me this Christmas. I’ll pray every night to you to bring me a doll, and slate, first reader and a school dress.
Love, Carrie.
PORT ANGELES, WA—1931. Dear Santa Clas, please help my mom and dad this Christmas. My dad is not working anymore. We don’t get many food now. My mom gives us the food she would eat. Please help my mom an dad. I want to go to Heven too be with the angels. Can you bring me to Heven? My mom an dad woud not have too by things for me no more. That would make them happy…
I live in my house like last year. We got candils. A city man took the lights a way. It looks like we don’t live heer no more. We do. I will wate for you too come in my room. I will not slep.
Wen you give my dad a job and some food too my mom I will go with you and the rain deer. Merry Christmas too you Mrs. Clas too the elfs too.
Love, Thad.
WISCONSIN—1933. Dear Santa, we are four little children. We live on an old country farm. Our daddy is away from home, and mamma has a hard time getting along. We would like to have you come to our house Christmas. We littles don’t need anything. You can give it all to mamma.
ILLINOIS—1901. Dear Saint Nicholaus, I want a tin horn. My grandma says she is afraid I will wake her up with that, but I promise not to. I also want a gocart.
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn.—1901. Dear Santa Claus, we are three little sisters and have no dear papa like most little tots. Please bring us something nice as you did not get here last Xmas.
Your little friends,
Kate, Leona, and Frankie White.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL—1925. My Dear Mr. Santa Claus, I take the liberty of writing you at this seemingly early date to remind you that I have changed my address from Boston, Mass., to St. Petersburg, Florida, and should be quite upset, Mr. Claus if you by some error, perhaps not of your own, but of one of your many assistants, took my gifts to our old address.
I hope you will not think me greedy for I am told you dislike that in all small boys, when I ask you to leave in, or rather around my stocking, or stockings, a complete addition of the “Book of Knowledge,” and “in Tune With the Infinite.”
My parents whom you have probably encountered in their youth have been for the past ten years connected with Harvard College, and I feel sure that they would be charmed to have you make your annual visit to us here in St. Petersburg.
I will be twelve my next birthday, and while I have never mingled with other small boys my age, I am sure that I shall not feel the lack of any young companions if you accede to my request. Hoping you and Mrs. Claus are in the best of health and that you will enjoy your trip south.
I remain,
Horace Percy Greenapple.
KENDALL, N.Y.—1931. Dear Santa Claus, My name is Leona Marcks I am 11 years old. I have been a good girl and help my mother. I want shoes, rubber gloves, my sister Frances is 8 years old, she want shoes, gloves, my brother Edward is 10 years old, he want a hat, gloves. Peter is 5 years old, he want a suit and stocking. Stanley is 4 years old, and want suit and stocking. My baby brother Valentine is 1 ½ years old and wants shoes and an orange.
Thank you very much.
Yours truly, Leona Marcks.
ALBION, N.Y.—1933. Dear Santa, We always rite you at Xmas but we wonder why you don’t bring us what we ask for.
Please Santa try and think of us if you possibly can because Daddy has been sick so he can’t work and he don’t have enough money to buy us things at all now. We like oranges and candy too if you have some to spare…With love from Evelyn Durrant.
COLUMBIA, Tenn.—1899. Dear Santa Clause—I will write and tell you where I live. And I want you to be sure and stop at my house. And what ever you do don’t forget us…
I know you will laugh Santa Clause when I tell you my little tom-boy sister wants a wagon to pull like boys. She says she just want a waggon and a doll and a lot of bananas, she could eat a dozen bananas right now…
Don’t forget Mother and Papa, and what ever you do Santa Clause go to our church the first C.P. Church on Garden Street where there will be so many real good little children waiting for you and I am going to try to be good.
I had to miss Sunday school last Sunday because I had the measles but I will be there this Sunday. I will close dear old Santa Clause.
Alleen Overton. 116 South G. St.
MILLTOWN, N.J.—1935. Dear Mrs. Roosevelt, I suppose you’ll be kind of surprised to hear from a poor little girl.
I am ten years old. I tried writing Santa Clause but it didn’t work. On Christmas eve I had wished for Santa Clause to come but my mama said the chimney was blocked & he couldn’t come, so I had a poor Christmas. I was expecting him to bring me some things.
I lost my daddy when I was two years old. I have read in the papers how good you are to the poor and thought maybe you can help me some. I will appreciate it all my life.
To-day we have started school from our Christmas vacation & all the children talk about how many presants Santa has brought them and I felt so bad cause I had nothing to say. I guess that is all.
Yours truly,
M.A.
CHICAGO—1886. Benevolent Friend [Santa]: I do not need anything myself as I have a mother and father, but there are four little girls who have no father at No. 9 West Erie St, and their mother works very hard at washing every day. And when I told her of your kindness the littlest girl asked me to write for her. Any assistance from you will be thankful received.
Yours, Very Respt.,
Agnes
CHICAGO—1895. Dear Santy, I hope you will enjoy your Christmas, as I intend to enjoy mine. O, how glad I am that Christmas is so near and that the dear child Jesus was born so many years ago when laid in a manger. I think he would understand what it is like to be pore like me.
I hope we will enjoy our Christmas better than the last year, as our dear good father died the 14th of Dec. We miss him very much and will miss him forever. I hope I will see him once again not in this world; but in heaven. Thank you for being a friend to me.
Love,
Teresa Riedmiller
ME—May we not forget the children of our own era.