A 116-Year-Old Letter to Santa and 11 More Christmas Wish Lists Families Kept for Decades

Family & kids
10/24/2026
A 116-Year-Old Letter to Santa and 11 More Christmas Wish Lists Families Kept for Decades

My letter to Santa from 1989 turned up in the same envelope as that winter’s electric bill, which tells you how our house was run. I asked for a walkie-talkie and for Grandpa to let the thermostat go up to 70. These 12 letters and wish lists run from 1910 to the last few Decembers, and the oldest ones were kept by families who knew exactly what they were saving.

A 1999 Christmas List That Ended With One Big Request: ‘My Own Computor!’

“My mom found my Christmas list from 1999”

7th grade, still couldn’t spell.

An 8-Year-Old Who Corrected ‘Extra Nice’ to ‘Extra Decent’ on a Letter to Santa

“My girlfriend writes Santa letters to kids who write Santa a letter. This one kid was very candid with his behavior this year.”

A 4-Year-Old’s Letter to Santa, Written in What Looks Like Doctor’s Handwriting

“This is my 4-year-old’s letter to Santa. I think she’s on her way to becoming a doctor!”

She knows her alphabet really well and can write her name, so I’m glad to hear she’s ahead of the curve!

From the author:

The envelope with my letter and the electric bill sat in a kitchen drawer for 37 years. Grandpa kept every bill he ever paid, and my mother thinks he filed my letter there because, in his words, it was a request for heat. He did not raise the thermostat. A pair of walkie-talkies did show up that Christmas, both of them, so I would have someone to talk to.

A 1910 Letter to Santa Asking for a White Beaver Hat, White Kid Gloves and a Teddy Bear

“This is a 1910 letter that my Godmother wrote to Santa Claus. She obviously had a taste for the finer things in life. Winifred went on to become a performer in ballet, music, and theater.”

My dear Santa Claus,

I am so glad Christmas is so near. I will tell you what I want for Christmas. I want a white beaver hat, white shoes, white kid gloves, bath robe and a teddy bear. Be sure to come and see all good boys and girls.

From your little friend,

Winifred

The Mail Carrier Who Has Taken One Boy’s Letter to Santa Every Year

“USPS Postman Morris has made sure our son’s letter gets to Santa for years. Thank you Mr. Morris and the USPS for always delivering, no matter the challenges!”

There’s a year missing from the photos. But Morris has never failed recognize our son and make him smile when we visit. He sees us coming every year! USPS workers are some of the most hardworking and undervalued public servants in our country. They deserve all our thanks.

The program: The U.S. Postal Service has handled letters to Santa since 1912, when Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock let local postmasters open them so employees could answer. Today it runs as USPS Operation Santa, and members of the public adopt letters and reply to them.

A First-Grade Class Was Told to Write to Santa, and One Student Wrote the Alphabet

“I told my first grade class they were writing their letters to Santa...I should have been more specific”

We sent them in to the local newspaper.

A Grandfather’s 1918 Christmas List: a Dog, a Velocipede and a Promise to Mind Daddy and Mother

“My mom just found my grandfather’s Christmas list from 1918”

From the author:
Read these letters back to back, and a pattern shows up: the requests change every decade, and the manners don’t. The 1910 letter wants white gloves and a teddy bear and reminds Santa to visit all good boys and girls. The 1918 list promises to mind Daddy and Mother. My 1989 letter said please twice, once for the walkie-talkie and once for the heat.

A 1907 Letter Sent Up a Chimney and Found During a Fireplace Renovation

“Back in 1907, a 10-year-old girl in a New York City apartment wrote a letter to Santa. Following an Irish tradition, she sent it up the chimney. A man found that letter nearly 17 years ago when he was renovating his fireplace. Ever since, he’s been working to learn more about the little girl. His long journey came to a satisfying conclusion just last week.”

A 1943 Letter to Father Christmas Found Up a Chimney and Returned to Its Author

“A letter, written by a little boy to Santa in 1943 has been found up a chimney stack in Reading and reunited with its author.”

A Letter Asking Santa for Pictures, So a Kid Could Prove to Friends He Was Real

“Old letter to Santa my mom found”

If you have pictures I am still trying to prove he’s real

From the author:
A practical note if a child in your house is writing to Santa this year: put the year on the back in pencil before the letter goes anywhere. Several letters here carry no date at all, and their families date them by what was asked for. Mine is dated by the electric bill. Two seconds with a pencil saves somebody a lot of guessing in 2060.

A 1992 Letter From a 7-Year-Old: a Mountain Bike, an Art Set and Marbles in a Bag

“Found an old letter to Santa! (1992)”

Across the decades: The 1910 letter in this list asks for a white beaver hat, white kid gloves, a bath robe and a teddy bear. The 1918 list asks for a dog, a velocipede and a scroll saw. This 1992 letter wants a mountain bike, an art set and marbles, and the 1999 list ends with a computer. The wheels got faster and the screens got bigger, and nearly every decade still asked for something to play with on the floor.

A Kindergartner Who Asked Santa for Nothing, Just Pets for Everyone Else

“Letter to Santa my daughter wrote when she was in kindergarten”

She’s a teenager now and still a super sweet kid.

We have a dog! I mean, it took a while, be we got one

The last letter asked Santa for nothing for its writer and a pet for everyone else, and that writer is a teenager now. Kids write to Santa for toys. Parents keep the letters for the handwriting.

Do you remember anything you asked Santa for as a kid? Tell us in the comments.

Preview photo credit LeeAnnLongsocks / Reddit

Comments

Get notifications
Lucky you! This thread is empty,
which means you've got dibs on the first comment.
Go for it!

Related Reads