Vintage Letters from Santa

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Usually around this time of year I share a sampling from my vintage Christmas card collection, but this year I’m bringing you something a little different…vintage letters from the big man in red himself, Santa Claus!

I picked these up at an antique store, and they are letters parents could pick up from the local department store to mail to their children. These came with envelopes featuring Santa on the front and text on the back indicating it was a partnership between Santa Claus, Indiana and McLean’s Department Store in New York. What I find especially interesting is that the artwork on the envelope and the artwork on the letters do not match in style. The letters feature cartoony images of Santa and reindeer, while the envelope evokes a slightly more realistic Santa akin to what Haddon Sundblom did for Coca-Cola.

A white envelope features an illustration of Santa and reads "A Letter from Santa PERSONAL"

A green letter features all of the different reindeer, including Vixen who is looking at her closet, and Rudolph who is looking in the mirror. The letter reads "Hi, Little friend, I’m coming to see you on Christmas Eve. The toys are all stuffed in my pack - the biggest and fattest, I do believe, that I ever strapped on my back! My sleigh is new-painted; my work is all done. It really has been quite a strain, dear. But now it’s all finished. I’m ready to run, as soon as I’ve spruced up the reindeer. Dasher and Comet outgrew their old shoes. They’ll have to have new ones, I fear. And Donder and Blitzen will try not to lose their red Christmas mittens this year. Dancer has got a new bow in her hair and Prancer says she wants one, too. And Vixen complains she has nothing to wear, why-can’t-she-have-something-new? Old Cupid has shined up his heart till it glows. My goodness! It’s late! We must fly! We’re off and away - Led by Rudolph’s red nose. Until Christmas my dear - Goodbye! Your friend, Santa Claus"

A pale orange letter features Santa at a desk surrounded by toys and elves. The letter reads "My Dear Little Friend, with Christmas so near I’m writing this letter today direct from my Workshop. I wish you were here to see us all working away. The brownies are making toy dump-trucks and boats, and wagons, and guns that make noise, and baseballs and helmets, and mittens and coats, as presents for good little boys! My elves are at work on toy dishes and cradles, and dolls with eyelashes and curls, and little toy saucepans and posts and soup-ladles as presents for sweet little girls! I mustn’t write more, for there’s no time to pause-but each little brownie and elf sends you oceans of love - and my dear Mrs. Claus encloses a kiss from herself. Now goodbye and God Bless you, from Santa, my dear, and please be as good as can be, for then I can make your Christmas this year the merriest you ever did see! Your friend Santa Claus"

A dark teal letter features Santa and his reindeer flying through the sky at the top and at the bottom is a town and the ocean with a large ship sailing across. The letter reads "Surprise! Old Santa, my child, is writing this letter to tell you - in case you were worried - I’m feeling just fine - simply couldn’t be better, - though right now I am a bit hurried. My sleigh is all packed and I’m ready to go; the reindeer are putting their coats on. For tonight we set out from our mountain of snow, O’er the ice that my good old sleigh floats on. We’ll leave the North Pol, and fly through the air by the light of the yellow moon’s beaming. We’ll stop at great cities, at skyscrapers, where the big-city children are dreaming. We’ll visit small towns that are nice as can be. Then onto the farms in the valley. We’ll even see children on ships out to sea! We haven’t a moment to dally! There’s Mrs. Claus calling. I must say goodby. I mustn’t be late, - oh never1 I’m off down the sky, with just time to cry: ‘Have the Merriest Christmas ever!’ Your friend, Santa Claus"

A purple letter features illustration of Santa reading his list and surrounded by toys and an elf loading up his sleigh, the letter reads "My Dear Young Friend, This letter is from Santa, who will soon be on his way. The brownies have just stuffed and tied my pack. The elves have finished hitching all the reindeer to my sleigh, and Mrs. Claus has fixed a little snack of cookies and hot cocoa. And while she fills my cup, I thought I’d writer to say I hope, my dear, that on Christmas Eve you won’t forget to hang your stocking up, for Santa Claus to fill with Christmas Cheer. What would you like to find in it? Balloons, or little toys? Or rubber balls or lollypops, perhaps? Or bathtub boats or planes that fly or whistles that make noise? Or things to wear, like mittens, socks and caps? Whatever they are, I hope you’ll like the presents that I leave, But most of all, Old Santa hopes, my dear, that all the joy and happiness I bring on Christmas Eve will stay with you the whole year. Your Friend, Santa Claus"

A pale blue letter features Santa with all of the reindeer flying through the sky. The letter reads "Hello Little Friend, With Christmas-time so near, my child, I thought I’d better write to tell you to be very very good, and drink your mild and take your nap and brush your teeth at night, and do the things your mother says you should. For if you’re good as gold, my dear, why then on Christmas Eve Old Santa will be coming on his sleigh! I’ll come when you are fast asleep, and oh! -the gifts I’ll leave, to greet you when you awaken on Christmas Day! Toys and games and candy canes, and bright new scarves and caps, and picture-books, and crayons red and blue, and all the things you asked me for. But best of all, perhaps, is all the love Old Santa leaves for you. So after Christmas Days gone, I hope when you’re at play with all the toys I left beneath the tree, you’ll stop and think of Santa so very far away, and blow a kiss to send me your love to me. Your Friend, Santa Claus"

I found a few others on Ebay that showcase this was something Santa Claus, Indiana offered to more than just department stores, but shopping malls, drug stores, and banks. There were also a variety of different illustration styles in the letters, but all with the same envelope, indicanting the possibility the envelope was done first, and through the years they updated the letters.

I simply adore the artwork, especially the green one of the reindeer getting ready. I also love that the letters were clearly hand written and then printed, and what penmanship! The loops and curves are just so bubbly and wonderful. The language is also interesting, in that it seems Santa employs both elves and brownies, while most, at least American, folklore sticks to elves, although their age and appearance has always been debatable!

Can you imagine getting a letter from Santa when you were a child? I think I would have been over the moon about it! How about you?

One day I’ll get around to framing these. They are a little too large and delicate to hang like I do my vintage Christmas cards.

Want to get your hands on your very own vintage Santa letters? Check out ebay and Etsy! And what even more vintage Christmas imagery? Check out other vintage Christmas card posts here!

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