From more than eighty years children across York County have written to Santa Claus about their hopes, dreams and wishes for approaching Christmas mornings. In 1928, Mr. Grist, the editor of the Yorkville Enquirer announced he would personally see that Santa Claus would receive every letter addressed to the Santa Claus Editor. Many of those letters received from children from Western York County are reprinted here in hopes that you might find a loved one long passed and that it will warm you heart during this Christmas season.
I am so glad Mr. Grist will see that you get my letter this year. I want you to bring me a bicycle and a real football and lots of fruit and candy. John (my little brother) wants a train that runs on a track and a gig rubber tired wagon. He is trying to be awful good and so am I. I am eight years old and in the eighth grade. John is five years old. That’s why I am writing for him. He has not gone to school.
Your little friend,
Jimmy Scoggins
Smyrna
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I want you to bring me a big baby doll and a pencil box.
Yours truly.
Mary Louise Stephenson
Hickory Grove
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We are two little girls, twelve and nine years old. I (Mary) want you to bring me a ring of pearls and a pair of woolen gloves to wear to school. I (Katherine) want you to bring me a baby doll and carriage, and we want you to bring us lots of candies and fruits and plenty of fireworks.
Lot of love,
Mary Jo and Katherine Beard
Sharon
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I am a little girl six years old. I go to school. I love my teacher. Her name is Miss Kerlister Byers. I want you to bring me lots of fruit and candy, and a doll baby that will cry.
With lots of love,
Corilee Curry
Hickory Grove
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I am a little boy. I want you to bring me some fruit, candy and a bicycle and be good to other little boys too.
Willie Louis Smarr
Hickory Grove
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I am a little boy five years old. I want a little train and some firecrackers, and candy, apples and nuts and lots of other things.
Your friend,
- S. Santa, bring me a knife.
Lewis Traylor
Smyrna
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I am a little boy three years old. I want you to bring me a train and firecrackers, lots of candy and apples and nuts.
Your friend,
- S. Santa, bring me a knife with a chain on it.
Charles Traylor
Smyrna
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I am a little girl ten years old. I am writing you to tell you what I want. I want you to bring me a storybook, flower vase and candy and fruits for all.
Your friend,
Mary Traylor
Smyrna
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I am a little girl. I go to School I want you to ring em lots of fruit and candy and a mama doll baby.
With lots of love,
Lunellia Bankhead
Hickory Grove
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I am a little girl. I go to school every day. I want you to bring me some candy, apples and a mama baby doll. Maggie Lee Curry – Hickory Grove I want you to bring me a big baby doll that can walk, talk and go to sleep, and a wash tub to match my little wash board.
Martha Lee Stephenson
Hickory Grove
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I want you to bring me a large doll, one that can talk and walk and a little baby cradle. I would like to have a little wagon so I can ride my baby around in it. Now Santa, I don’t want much fruit, for I enjoy my baby and wagon.
So goodbye,
Helen Moss
Smyrna
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I am expecting you to come see me and hope you will not disappoint me. Will you please bring me a little train on a track, and plenty of fruit, candy and nuts and some fireworks? I will try to be good, so don’t forget me.
Lots of love to you,
Wayne Sherer
Sharon
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We are twin girls nine years old. We are in the fourth grade. We want you to bring us a piano, gloves, candy, fruit and lots of nuts. Bring our sister something too, please. Don’t forget our teacher, Miss Hazel Estes, and our mother and daddy. Please be good to everybody.
Evelyn and Eleanor Robbins
Hickory Grove
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I am a little girl 8 years old. I am in the third grade. I want you to bring me a doll, storybook, flower vase. I want you to bring nuts and candy and fruit.
Your friend,
Helen Traylor
Smyrna
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I am a little girl ten years old. I want you to bring me a raincoat and some fruit, nuts and candy. My little brother, Meek, Jr. wants a harp and a horn.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas, with love,
Thelma Ramsey
Hickory Grove
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Please bring me a horn, harp, fireworks, nuts and candy. Please don’t forget Sister and the other boys and girls.
Your little friend,
Ansley Darby
Sharon
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I want you to bring me a harp, knife, pencil box, 3 boxes of firecrackers, 3 storybooks and fruit and nuts and candy. Please don’t forget me.
Your friend,
Fay Good
Sharon
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I am a little boy almost 2 years old. Grandma says I’m a real good little boy and I want you to bring me a little red wagon and a truck, and lots of good things to eat, and please be good to my little cousin, Walter Cranford.
Heaps of love.
Billy Beard
Sharon
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I am going to tell you what I want for Christmas. I want you to bring me a doll that will open and shut its eyes, all kinds of fruits, nuts and candy.
Your little friend,
Susie Alexander
Smyrna
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I am going to write to tell you what I want. I want you to bring me a big doll that will talk and walk and apples, oranges, candy and other things, and don’t forget my little brother, L. B.
Eva Alexander
Symrna
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I am writing you a few lines to tell you what I want you to bring me for Christmas. I want you to bring me a sleepy baby doll, fruit, candy and nuts. I will close,
Veda Alexander
Hickory Grove
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Please bring me a football, a little airplane, candy and fruit of all kind.
Your little friend,
John Walker Burris
Sharon
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I am a little girl five years old and am wanting for you to bring me a little stove and plenty of fruit, nuts and candy. Please don’t forget to bring Nannie a fountain pen, gloves, nuts, candy and fruit.
Your friend,
Jean Sherer
Sharon
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I am a little boy six years old. I have not started to school yet, but I want to start sometime soon. I am a very good little boy. I want you to bring me a tricycle, a little wagon, air rifle and lots of fruit and nuts. Bring my little sister, Ruby, a sleepy baby doll and a little blanket for it.
Your little friend,
Jimmy Alexander
Sharon
J.L. West – Author
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