Children were writing Christmas letters to Santa Claus as far back as 1883, historic newspapers show.
Researchers at family history website Ancestry have found the earliest mention of a letter to Santa on their old newspapers website Newspapers.com in The Leeds Mercury on 22 December 1883.
The idiosyncratically spelled letter, from "Janet, 6 years", says "Pleas bring a doll to me with a cradel, and a trumpet to Jimmie, and some other thing to Ma and Pa."
Christmas letters in old newspapers provide a fascinating insight into children's Christmas wishes. Some were more concerned with other people than toys for themselves. On 24 December 1898 Mabel Hancox, age 11, wrote to the Hampshire Telegraph and Naval Chronicle: "I have a little brother four years old, who will hang up his stocking; I shall also hang up mine, but, dear Santa Claus, if you have not much to spare do not put anything in mine. I should like you to fill my brother's up to the brim with something nice... I think the practice of self-denial is one of the first thing we children should learn."
In 1940 The Ormskirk Advertiser held a competition for "A letter to Father Christmas in war-time."
Bobby Watkinson, age 7, wrote: "Please don't forget the evacuees and all the poor children who have lost their homes, and all the children whose daddies are fighting for us."
Alice Sumner, age 13, was worried about Santa himself, writing: "I do hope there will be no raids when you come... Don't forget to bring your tin helmet and your gasmask so you will be safe if the Jerries come."
Laura House, Ancestry's family history expert and genealogist, said: “Letters to Santa’ appear in UK newspapers as early as 1883, giving us a rare glimpse into the dreams and values of children from the Victorian era to the present day. Three quarters of parents agree that writing letters to Santa will still be a tradition in 20 years’ time, so this Christmas we encourage people to search their family’s keepsakes for letters to Santa and to preserve this year’s festive wishes on Ancestry for future generations.”
