While today's children might ask for the latest Pokémon cards, the heartfelt nature of Christmas wishlists remains unchanged for over 140 years. This is the charming conclusion drawn from the discovery of a Victorian child's letter to Santa Claus, believed to be one of the earliest of its kind in the United Kingdom.
A Six-Year-Old's 1883 Plea to Santa
The letter, written in 1883 by a six-year-old girl named Janet, was addressed to "DeAR SAnTA CLAus" and published in the Leeds Mercury newspaper. Preserving her unique spelling and capitalisation, Janet wrote: "PLeAs BRIng a Doll to Me with a cRADEL, AND a TRuMPtet to JiMMie, AND SoMe OTHer THing to MA AND PA."
This simple request demonstrates a thoughtful consideration for her family alongside a savvy understanding of how to get her message seen. The newspaper, publishing it on 22 December 1883, noted it was sent "to the care of our colums in the Suppliment". The editor chose not to correct her spelling, arguing it would then be his letter and not hers, and might not reach its intended recipient.
The American Origins and English Adoption of Santa
The tradition of writing to Santa Claus, much like his modern red-suited image, has its roots in the United States. Dutch settlers in New York were commemorating Sinterklaas as "St a Claus" as early as 1773. The practice of sending letters north gained momentum after the US Civil War, as postal services became more reliable.
In England, a separate figure known as Father Christmas had evolved from medieval folklore. According to English Heritage, the name Santa Claus was first recorded in England in 1864. By the 1880s, the two festive icons had merged into the single, familiar figure known today.
A Second Letter Reveals a Virtuous Victorian Child
The research, conducted by Ancestry using its Newspapers.com archive, uncovered another poignant letter. This one was written by 11-year-old Mabel Hancock and published in the Hampshire Telegraph and Naval Chronicle on Christmas Eve, 1898.
Mabel's message showed remarkable selflessness for a child. She asked Santa not to forget her family, but to prioritise her four-year-old brother's stocking. "If you have not much to spare, do not put anything in mine," she wrote, adding that her mother taught her "there is more pleasure in making others happy than in being made happy ourselves."
These two letters, separated by fifteen years, offer a touching glimpse into the Victorian Christmas. They prove that despite the vast gulf in time and the evolution of toys from dolls and trumpets to digital gadgets, the core spirit of childhood hope, family love, and festive generosity is a timeless constant.
