It’s been a year! Hasn’t it?!
Thanksgiving through New Year’s is usually my favorite time of year. And it still is, though it’s taken me longer to get the excitement this year. So tonight, after a long weekend, I’ve settled down with a good red wine – Josh Legacy Red Blend – and took a peek at my favorite book to read during the holidays – Letters to Santa Claus by The Elves. This book is a compilation of letters to Santa from the 1930’s to about 2013-2014.
According to the book, every letter that is mailed to Santa ends up in Santa Claus, Indiana – yes, apparently, there is such a place. And every December, the volunteers – Santa’s Elves – gather together to sit down and help Santa answer all the letters.
Also, in Santa Claus, Indiana is the Santa Claus Museum which houses the town’s history with a collection of photographs, artifacts, and an archive of all the letters received.
Reading these letters is such a treat. It’s a glimpse into the past – from the periods of history that are written about to the popular toys of the past. Some of the letters will break your heart, some will make you laugh, but in all letters, there is the spirit of the season and that’s what brings me back to reading it over and over again.
One day, I will get to Santa Claus, Indiana to see it for myself.
I will leave you with a summary of my favorite letter written back in 1930 by a little girl named Catherine from Woodstock, Maryland:
Catherine starts out by asking Santa for presents for all of her siblings but then says “Jimmie ain’t so good, so if you want, you could leave him out. She goes on to say, “Mama is fat but she never wants anything for Christmas.” Catherine then lists the names and ages of her siblings and ends with “and the others are dead.”
This particular letter has always reminded me of something my son would write and I think that is why it holds a special place for me.
I hope you all enjoy your holiday season.
-Kelley