For years, letters addressed to
Santa Claus have been shipped to Santa
Claus, Ind., where a staff of dedicated town volunteers, "elves,"
process and answer over 400,000 pieces of mail every December.
The
book gathers more than 250
scanned letters and documents from the 1930s to the present. Material wish
lists reflect the times--from Shirley Temple dolls to Apple gift cards--and the
letters are telling and confessional. A "good little bad boy" admits
he's been a "real louse," pouring Tabasco instead of chocolate syrup
on his brother's ice cream. A humble
little girl only wants "some shoes...with heels" for her depressed
single mother. Another asks for a time
machine to "fix all the bad things that have happened to me." A 6
year-old wants Santa to bring his ex-con father a job. A dog, abandoned by
housemates, wants his favorite treats. A Braille letter from a blind, Filipino
girl asks for a radio. There are others
boldly seeking mates, money, lingerie and legal aid.
Some lists are long and typed,
others short: "I want my dad to be smarter" (102); "Can my mom
come home from the hospital?" Questions about reindeer, chimneys and coal
abound, as do apologies and vows toward better behavior. Some dangle prospects
of Christmas Eve sweet treats to entice Santa—one promises beer and a
liverwurst sandwich. This
well-presented, historical collection--reflecting
both the naughty and nice--will entertain and offer insights into the human
condition. And it's even been reported that a reader spotted her own letter to
Santa in mix! Might yours be included?
Letters to Santa Claus by "The Elves" (Forward
by Pat Koch (Head Elf); Afterword by Emily Weisner Thompson)
Indiana University Press, 20.00 Hardcover, 9780253017932,
224 pp
Publication Date: October 5, 2015
Note: This review is a reprint and is
being posted (in a slightly different form) with the permission of Shelf Awareness. To read this review on Shelf Awareness: Reader's Edition (10/27/15), link HERE
