Each year, kids eagerly write to old Saint Nick to tell him what they hope to see under their Christmas tree, a tradition that has spanned generations. Around this time last year, I shared a handful of old letters to Santa I found in our partner’s archives. I had such a blast doing this last year that I decided to do it again! Join me in discovering what children across the decades asked Santa for!
These letters to Santa come from students in Kindergarten and First Grade at Clarkville Elementary School and North Butler Elementary School. One thing I noticed with these letters is that most kids asked Santa a question, followed by a gift request. I also found it humorous and endearing that they didn’t correct any of the kids’ spelling mistakes. Here are a few of my favorite questions the kids asked Santa:
‘How do your ranbear fli?’ -Emma, who I assume wants to know how reindeer fly
‘How is mis clos?’ -Cate, who very thoughtfully asked about Santas wife
‘How do you not get tityrd’ -Maya, asking the questions we all want the answers to
In addition to their questions, the children all made sure to include what they wanted for Christmas that year. There were normal requests, like Flip-A-Zoos, Barbie Dream Houses, Nerf Guns, and stuffed animals. There were also some more…creative requests, such as a polar bear, a tiger, and coloring planets. Finally, the kids shared some advice for Santa as he prepares for his biggest night of the year:
‘Do not get a tummy ache from all those sugar cookies’ -Journey
‘Be careful of slippery ice’ -Allie
‘Make sure your reindeer are in perfect shape’ -Jacob
‘Make sure you don’t slip and fall in the chimney’ -Noah
These letters to Santa were found in The Clarksville Star, published on December 21st, 2017.
Next, we have letters to Santa from the kids of Hugoton, Kansas. These kids vary in age, and all shared their wish list in their own unique ways. Some of the gifts they asked for were Easy-Bake ovens, dogs, jewelry, and lots of Barbies.
What I appreciated most about these Santa letters was how each kid had a unique writing style, many of which made me laugh. For example, Joseph Williams wrote “I want a rechargeable battery. Wat Ever” which makes me wonder if he actually wanted a rechargeable battery or if his parents told him to ask for something practical. Every letter also had a unique greeting, like “It’s me again” from Kim Cook, and “I have been dreaming, ‘have I been good or have I been bad’” from Clara Greenwood. One thing all the children had in common was that they wished Santa well, and many thanked him for the previous year’s presents.
These Letters to Santa come from The Hugoton Hermes, published on December 19th, 1996
To Santa, From: Risingsun, Ohio, 1954
Our next set of letters to Santa comes with a very important disclaimer from the newspaper. They made sure to tell everyone that the reason Santa’s mail was published in the paper is that he is a very busy man this time of year, and having them all written down in one place is helpful for him. Now that we have that sorted out, let’s get into the letters from the kids in Risingsun, Ohio. Some of the gifts these kids asked for were basketballs, BB guns, board games, and shoes. As always, there were some odd requests, like Larry Kille, who really wanted a pet parrot for Christmas. And of course, kids always say the funniest things, so here are some lines that made me giggle:
“And don’t forget my two sisters…I don’t know what they want, so I can’t tell you.” -Judy Stith
“My mother says I am asking for a lot, but I don’t.” – Artie Shreffler
“My pets are carrier pigeons” -Jimmy Gechwind
“There will be a banana for you on the front porch” – Darell J. Holman
These letters to Santa come from The Unique Derrick, published on December 16th, 1954
Our next set of letters to Santa is a little different when you read them in their historical context. These letters were written by children in New York in 1933, right in the middle of the great depression. That likely contributes not only to what the children asked for, but also why they asked Santa for these gifts instead of their parents. Common gift requests from these kids were dish sets, clothing, fountain pens, bicycles, and boxes of candy. Most children kept their lists short, aware of the economic depression as much as a child can be. One even wrote to Santa, “I know it is hard times now,” next to his request of a desk chair and nothing more. I found it heartwarming how many kids asked for Santa to bring other people gifts. One little boy named Karl asked Santa to get his mom a new electric refrigerator for Christmas. Another asked for a new necktie for his father. Others sent wishes for people they didn’t even know, but wanted to help. George Burt, age 12, wrote, “There are lots of people who have nothing. I hope all the people have a very good Christmas. Maybe Santa Claus will bring the people some food.” This was so heartwarming to read. Despite the financial struggles so many families were facing, these kids still believed in the magic of Christmas and doing good to others.
These letters to Santa came from The Port Washington News, published on December 15th, 1933.
To Santa, From: Marinette, Wisconsin, 1901
Finally, I found a handful of letters from kids in Marinette, Wisconsin, in 1901. I was surprised to see that, despite spanning a century, these kids’ wishes were much like all the others I picked out for this week. On these kids Christmas wishlists were items like books, toy guns, dolls, and candies. One very thoughtful child, a boy named Claud, wrote to Santa to ask him to bring only gifts for other people. He asked Santa to bring Charlie new mittens because his hands were cold all the time, and his father was sick, so he couldn’t buy them. He also asked Santa to bring his friend Willie new clothes, because he had holes in them, and he didn’t want Willie to wear holey clothes to school. Very sweetly, Claud did not ask for anything himself. I thought this was so sweet, and the perfect example of how Christmas is a season of giving, especially to those who have less than you.
I hope you enjoyed reading through these letters to Santa. If by some crazy chance you happen to be one of the kids in these articles, thank you for providing me with holiday joy this week! Join me again next week to discover more of history’s hidden gems and timeless tales.
Explore the “Read All About It” archives to read stories that spotlight our partners and their communities, announcements from our team, updates on current projects, and so much more. Discover articles about engagement, outreach, primary sources, community, digitization, education, and other topics of interest. Delve into the happenings in this week in history and take a deep dive into the events and people who helped shape our communities, our nation, and the world.
Hear Ye, Hear Ye, READ ALL ABOUT IT!
Advantage Archives works to build strong, community-based partnerships to provide free online access to local history, making it discoverable and easily accessible to anyone, anywhere, at any time, on any device. This allows communities to understand and connect to their past in a meaningful way. Through the Community History Archive search platform, we provide the community with the means to explore, discover, learn from, connect with, and share the stories of the people, places, and events that shaped their community.
The Community History Archives are intended to serve as a “portal to the past”, allowing local primary source documents to give an accounting of history as told by the individuals that witnessed it. Advantage Archives guiding principals center around building strong community-based partnerships, which is why we enter into them with the intent of shouldering our fair share, and taking the burden off of the community for the ongoing costs associated with storage, hosting, development, and maintenance of the Community’s History Archive. We are an active participant in the community’s efforts to make their collective history more accessible. The Community History Archives are maintained for free by Advantage and do not require a subscription, seat license, annual support contract, or any other ongoing costs or expenses to the institution or members of the community.
If you would like to see more local history online, please contact your local library, newspaper publisher, genealogical society, historical society, or educational institution, and encourage them to learn more about creating a Community History Archive or have them contact Advantage Archives at (855) 303-2727
