{"id":5536,"date":"2013-12-09T16:38:47","date_gmt":"2013-12-09T16:38:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=5536"},"modified":"2024-12-09T13:08:44","modified_gmt":"2024-12-09T18:08:44","slug":"did-grandma-grandpa-write-letters-to-santa-claus-as-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/did-grandma-grandpa-write-letters-to-santa-claus-as-kids.html","title":{"rendered":"Did Grandma & Grandpa Write Letters to Santa Claus as Kids?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: In this article, Mary Harrell-Sesniak searches old newspapers to find some of the cute, funny, and heartwarming letters our ancestors wrote to Santa Claus. Mary is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

In our genealogical quests, we often overlook valuable sources of family history\u2014such as time-honored childhood traditions like writing to Santa Claus (once known as Saint Nicholas).<\/p>\n

I recommend you include \u201cLetters to Santa<\/a>,\u201d published in hometown newspapers, as part of your genealogy research. Can you imagine finding a letter to Santa Claus written by Grandma or Grandpa when they were tots? It would certainly bring a jolly twinkle to your eyes this holiday season!<\/p>\n

Yes\u2014it\u2019s very possible that you might find a letter to Santa<\/a> your ancestor wrote in the historical newspaper archives<\/a>\u2014and you might even find one with a home address!<\/p>\n

Fact: Many Letters to Santa Were Shipped to the North Pole<\/strong><\/p>\n

The U.S. Post Office, not knowing what to do with the abundance of letters to Santa they received throughout the Christmas season, often shared them with newspaper publishers. After air travel became feasible, many letters were (and still are) sent to the North Pole in Greenland, often causing overtime for postal workers. This article from 1950 reports that as of mid-November that year, over 70,000 letters had been received in Copenhagen, Denmark; by Christmas they were expecting about 200,000.<\/p>\n

\"Mail<\/a>
Boston Herald (Boston, Massachusetts), 17 December 1950, page 47<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Letter to \u201cDear Old Man\u201d (Santa Claus) from Tom (1888)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here is an early letter to Santa published after the 1887 Christmas holiday. Although it doesn\u2019t reveal \u201cTom\u2019s\u201d surname, it has an interesting description about the custom of using a chimney post office for the children\u2019s letters.<\/p>\n

The little boy made it clear he didn\u2019t care for peppermint sticks, and had some interesting requests\u2014including this instruction to Santa: \u201cDon\u2019t put my things in Jim\u2019s stockings. My stockings are red, with holes in the knees.\u201d Tom also advised Santa Claus: \u201cMa and Pa are always foolin\u2019 about Christmas Eve, but come along and don\u2019t mind them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
Haverhill Bulletin (Haverhill, Massachusetts), 2 January 1888, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Santa\u2019s Letter Box (1899)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The previous letter to Santa seems more of a novelty, as it was published in the newspaper after Christmas. Around the turn of the century, delightful children\u2019s correspondence to Santa became a regular feature in many newspapers in the United States, and their letters were printed in the weeks leading up to Christmas. In the following 1899 newspaper article, you can read these letters to Santa:<\/p>\n

Albany, Tex., Dec. 15.\u2014Dear Santa Claus: Will you please send me a doll, if you have one to spare? I want one eighteen inches long, kid body and bisque head, light hair or dark will do. Yours truly, BESSIE TILGHMAN.<\/p>\n

Oak Cliff, Tex., Dec. 15.\u2014Dear Santa Claus: Please send me a toy cannon, train, magic lantern and a small boat, some candy, nuts of all kinds, apples, oranges and some fireworks. I am a little boy 6 years old. Your little friend, JULE BERAND.<\/p>\n

Dallas, Tex., Dec. 17.\u2014Dearest Santa: Though I look older, I am only 4 years old. I don\u2019t want a doll, but I want a watering pot and a carpet sweeper, and some ginger-snaps and jaw-breakers. Yours lovingly, BROOKSIE T. SMITH.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Santa's<\/a>
Dallas Morning News (Dallas, Texas), 18 December 1899, page 5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Notice the letter authors are clearly identified by first and last name. Are any of these letters to Santa written by your ancestors?<\/p>\n

Georgie Freeman and Charlotte Ostan from Evansville, Indiana (1905)<\/strong><\/p>\n

These children had been very good all year, one performing night work and carrying in meat, and the other who didn\u2019t want her five-year-old brother Tony Ostan forgotten.<\/p>\n

\"Letters
Evansville Courier and Press (Evansville, Indiana), 15 December 1905, page 6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Almira and Kenton Christopher from Belleville, Illinois (1919)<\/strong><\/p>\n

As we all know, many families have a tough time at Christmas. Not wanting to disappoint their children, Mom and Dad often make up cover stories to explain the lack of presents, as shown in the following letters to Santa Claus.<\/p>\n

In 1919, the Christopher children wrote that they were sorry Santa\u2019s reindeer were sick, and that he wouldn\u2019t be coming this year. However\u2014just in case\u2014Almira did wish for a coat, hair ribbon, dress, cap, shoes, fruit and nuts, and some other items, including a little piano.<\/p>\n

Among the presents Kenton hoped for were a popgun, new suit and cap, an auto, bicycle, football suit, and a tree. He also added, \u201cDo not forget to leave something for my sisters, brother and parents.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Letters
Belleville News Democrat (Belleville, Illinois), 15 December 1919, page 7<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ruby Grace Coker from Marietta, Georgia (1923)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some letters to Santa are purely fun, such as this one from a little girl who lived in Marietta, Georgia:<\/p>\n

Dear Santa Claus\u2014Christmas, I want you to bring me a doll that walk, talk and sleep. I want a pair of skates, and I want a box of water colors. Please bring some fruits, nuts and candy of all kinds. There is one more thing I want and that is a raincape. I won\u2019t ask for anything else, because there is lots more little boys and girls that you have to see, but remember mother, daddy, brother and my little baby sister.\u2014Your friend, Ruby Grace Coker.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Letter
Cobb County Times (Marietta, Georgia), 20 December 1923, page 6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Letters to Santa Claus Contest (1937)<\/strong><\/p>\n

With so many children\u2019s letters to Santa sent to newspaper editors, the competition to be published was fierce. Not wanting to disappoint, some newspapers created contests\u2014such as this one from the Heraldo de Brownsville<\/em> newspaper, which offered a first place prize of $5 and a second place prize of $3, with six runners-up to receive $1 each. (I wasn\u2019t able to locate the winning entries, but perhaps some of our readers would find them and report it on the blog.)<\/p>\n

\"Letters
Heraldo de Brownsville (Brownsville, Texas), 12 December 1937, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Letters from the Echo of Richardson, Texas (1941)<\/strong>
\nIn this collection of letters from 1941, many children told Santa Claus that they love him. (Don\u2019t we all!)<\/p>\n

Dear Santa Claus: I have been good. Please come to see me. Fill my stocking with fruit and candy and toys. Don\u2019t bring me very much, but don\u2019t forget other boys and girls. I love you, Ray Johnson.<\/p>\n

Dear Santa Claus: I have been good. Please come to see me. Fill my stocking with fruit and candy and toys…I love you, Sylvia Jean Terry.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Letters
Richardson Echo (Richardson, Texas), 19 December 1941, page 5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are so many letters to Santa Claus in the newspapers, I hope you\u2019ll take time to research them\u2014and please let us know when you find any of these priceless family treasures!<\/p>\n

Search Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n

Try entering your ancestor\u2019s first and last name in combination with \u201cletters to Santa\u201d or \u201cletter to Santa\u201d in the \u201cInclude Keywords\u201d field on GenealogyBank\u2019s Newspaper Archives search page<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n

You might also try searching for your ancestors\u2019 letters to Santa from the Newspaper Letters search page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Christmas<\/a><\/p>\n

Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!<\/p>\n

Merry Christmas!
\nMary<\/p>\n

Explore over 330 years of newspapers and historical records in GenealogyBank. Discover your family story! Start a 7-Day Free Trial<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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