Santa

Local Letters to Santa from 1904

Writing letters to Santa Claus has long been a tradition for many children who celebrate Christmas. Some send the letters in the mail, leave them by a plate of milk and cookies on Christmas Eve, or give them to their parents/guardians for safekeeping. In 1904, the Wheeling Intelligencer acted as Wheeling’s official Santa mailbox and published some of the letters in the daily paper. Whether or not a child wanted a doll or a Schmulbach beer (true story!), the hundreds of letters submitted offer a glimpse into childhood humor, wonder, and magic. Flip through the slideshow below to read a selection of the most unique letters!

Letters to Santa

Send a letter to Santa!

Santa has asked Weelunk to help him collect children’s letters during this busy holiday season. Weelunk invites Wheeling children to submit a letter to Santa and he will respond as soon as he can!

Send us your child’s letter to Santa by completing the form below by Friday, Dec. 18!

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  • Emma Wiley, originally from Falls Church, Virginia, was a former AmeriCorps member with Wheeling Heritage. Emma has a B.A. in history from Vassar College and is passionate about connecting communities, history, and social justice.

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