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Dear Santa Claus: Letters from Local Children in 1909 & 1910

By: Lisa Timmerman, Executive Director

“Santa Claus is an old-fashioned chap, not given to newfangled ideas and notions, and may be that is why the children love him so dearly…” The local newspaper, The Manassas Democrat, asked children to submit their letters to Santa Claus noting, “Santa Claus has made The Democrat the official representative in Manassas and Prince William County (PWC). All letters to Santa Claus should be addressed “Santa Claus, Editor, The Democrat, Manassas, VA.” The editors promised to faithfully send these letters to Santa Claus and children from around PWC took advantage of this exclusive access. Below are notable entries ranging from December 1909 to December 1910. These excellent primary sources provide amusement, family memories, and interesting social commentary as some children tried to identify their family’s needs, at times favoring gifts for their siblings and parents. But not everyone…

Identified Families & Residences: Beale (Haymarket), Brawner (Dumfries), Garnett (Haymarket). Garrison, Jeffries, Kincheloe (Dumfries), Kitenour (Wellington), Leachman (Wellington), Mandley (Bristow), Nicol, O’Neil (Manassas) Rector (Haymarket), Reid (Gainesville), Rouse (Remington), Tubbs, Waters (Dumfries)

The Manassas Democrat, Vol. 1, No. 2, 12/16/1909:

Dear Santa Claus, We are little twin girls, five years old, and we would write and tell you what we want for Christmas. Please send us a really pretty doll, a little gold ring, candy, nuts, and an orange. We are your little friends. Dorothy and Rosalie Rector, Haymarket, VA.

Dear Santa Claus, I am glad that you are still living and able to be about. I am one of your little friends and am seven years old. My mamma has told me how good and kind you are and I know you will not forget me. Please bring me some letter blocks and a fire engine and horses and a horn and some candy and nuts. Your little friend, Harry R. Manassas, VA.

Dear Santa Claus, I am a little girl ten years old. I would like for you to send me a doll and some hair ribbons. I have tried to be a good little girl and wish to receive my presents. You have been to my house every year and I don’t think that you would try to slight me. One of your best friends, Phoebe Rector, Haymarket, VA.

The Manassas Democrat, Vol. 1, No. 52, 12/1/1910:

Dear Santa Claus: I am glad Christmas is nearly here, though I wish it was closer. I will have two stockings hung up by the fireplace and I want you to fill them both with candy, nuts, and other good things. I also want some pins and a locket and a doll. Yours truly, Grace Rouse, Remington, VA.

Dear Santa Claus: I am a little girl 6 years old. Please send me a doll and carriage, a pretty gold ring, and lots of candy, an orange and some bananas. Your friend, Elizabeth O’Neil, Manassas, VA.

The Manassas Democrat, Vol. II, No. 1, 12/08/1910:

Dear Santa Claus: As Christmas is nearly here, I thought I would write and ask you to please bring me a stocking just packed full of goodies, a wagon, a pair of leggings to keep the snow out of my shoes, a gun and some caps. I am a good little boy six years old. I will be sure to lay awake all night and watch for you, so don’t forget to come and be sure to bring my sister lots of nice things, too. I am your little friend. Maxwell, Covington.

Dear Santa Claus: I am a boy twelve years old and I live on a farm. Will you please bring me a fountain pen and some fire works and some good things to eat. You will find my stockings in papa’s bedroom hanging by the fire place waiting to be filled by you. I will try and be a good boy. Your little friend, Burchell Leachman, Wellington, VA.

Dear Santa Claus: I am a little boy, eight years old. I would like you to bring me a sled and an engine and a train of cars that you wind up, and anything else you have to spare. I have two little brothers named Lloyd and Robert Lee. They cannot write yet. So be sure to bring them something. Lewie Tubbs.

My Dear Santa Claus: I will tell you what I would like for Christmas – a great big muff and fur, a pair of rollar skates, a large doll carriage, a little pair of doll gloves, a box of paints, and wish you would bring me some of the Little Pepper books, candy and nuts. I am ten years old. One of your little friends, Ella Garrison.

Dear Santa Claus: I was ten years old on December 5. I am almost a man. When you come to see me, please bring me a pair of rubber boots and a few toys. Your little friend, Shirley M. Reid.

The Manassas Democrat, Vol. II, No. 2, 12/15/1910:

Dear Santa Claus: I am a little girl five years old. Please bring me a doll, a toy satchel filled with dolls clothes, a ring, a stereoscope and lots of comic views, some candies, nuts and oranges, and anything else you wish. I am your little friend, Constance E. Waters, Dumfries, VA.

Dear Santa Claus: As Christmas is nearly here, I thought I would write and ask you to please bring me an air rifle and some shot, a pair of gold sleeve buttons, an umbrella for a raindy day. I don’t want any candy, but please fill my stocking with nuts, oranges and lots of fireworks. I am a little boy nine years old. Your little friend, Leon R. Waters, Dumfries, VA.

Dear Santa Claus: I am a little boy six years old. Please bring me a little high chair for my little sister, Ruth, and bring me a wagon to haul wood for mama, and a cap and an air rifle and lots of candy and oranges and some good grapes and nuts, an overcoat and a sled. Your little friend, William B. Mandley, Bristow, VA.

Dear Santa Claus: I enclose the pictures of the toys I want you to bring me. When I strike oil, I will pay you what they cost and if I don’t strike oil, I will make money getting subscribers for The Ladies’ Home Journal and S. E. Post like I did last year and will send you some. I wont be greedy and ask for more than you can afford to bring me. Just tell your friends to send me their subscriptions. Please do not forget my baby sister who was not here last year. Every year I am going to send you some money to help you buy things for Christmas. Last year I bought me a big doll and doll carriage and a sleigh myself, but would like them better from you. Your good little girl, Cary Nicol.

The Manassas Democrat, Vol II, No. 3, 12/22/1910:

Dear Santa Claus: I’d like for you to bring me a little doll baby, an orange an a banana, a little graphopone and a watch. Please bring mama a great big white elephant. I hope you are well and enjoying yourself. I am a little girl three years old and live at Haymarket, VA. With love, Laura Beale.

Dear Santa Claus: I am a boy six years old, and, if you have any, I want you to bring me a Roman candle that will shoot one hundred times and two packages of fire crackers, a few good things, an orange and a banana, and a golden chariot for me to give mama. I hope you are getting along ‘alright. With love, Herbert Beale, Haymarket, VA.

Dear Santa Claus: I am a little girl ten years old. I will tell you what I would like for Christmas. Please bring me a ring, a breast pin, a pair of boots, a pair of leggings, some ribbon, candy, nuts and lots of nice things to eat and anything else you choose to bring me. Your little friend, Lucille Brawner, Dumfries, VA.

Dear Kris Kringle: I am a little girl only ten years old and the only girl my mother has. I want you to please bring me a great big doll baby and a pair of skates and bring all kinds of good things to eat and anything else you choose. I also have a baby brother. Please, dear Kris Kringle, bring him a carriage for me to ride him in. He is only three months old and I am too small to hold in my lap. And please bring him a rattle and everything else that is pretty. Please, dear Kris Kringle, bring what I ask. From your friend, Lavinour Kitenour, Wellington.

Dear Santa: I am a little boy four years old and have a little sister two years old. Please bring us an automobile, some candy, cakes, oranges and apples, nuts, and everything that is pretty. So we will say goodnight now, for we are sleepy. From your loving little friends, Ethel and Birkery Reid, Gainesville.

Dear Santa Claus: I am a little girl four years old. I have a little baby sister four months old. We are going to hang up our stockings. I want you to bring sister a rattle and a stick of lemon candy. For me a mouth harp and a pair of rubber boots. You can bring us anything else you want to. Some candy would taste good. Good bye. Your little friend, Mabel Lee Kincheloe. Dumfries, VA.

Dear Santa Claus: Will you please bring my brother, Elkins, a cow that will give milk. Sister Margaret’s old toy cow does not give milk, and bring him a bag of crackers, that is all he wants. By his loving brother, Henry Jackson Jeffries.

Dear Santa Claus: I am a little girl seven years old. Last Christmas my papa was in the hospital and I didn’t want much. He is at home now and we are so happy. I do not want much this time. Please bring me a doll tea set, a box of paints, a picture book, and some nuts and anything else you wish to bring me. Good bye. Julia Garnett, Haymarket.

(Sources: The Manassas Democrat, Vol. 1, No. 2, 12/16/1909, The Manassas Democrat, Vol. 1, No. 52, 12/1/1910, The Manassas Democrat, Vol. II, No. 1, 12/08/1910, The Manassas Democrat, Vol. II, No. 2, 12/15/1910, The Manassas Democrat, Vol II, No. 3, 12/22/1910)

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