Speaker 1: A letter from Santa Claus for Christmas eighteen forty nine.
My dear children, as I have always been in the
habit of meeting with you on this anniversary, and as
I cannot expect to see you all together this year,
for the sake of old times, I am going to
write you a letter. Perhaps you are not aware that
I have been a silent spectator of your daily occupations,
but so it is. I generally take a nap from
one year to another. So after our glorious celebration at
the bee Hive, I packed myself away in the stovepipe
for that purpose, but the hum of merry voices kept
me awake, and thus I lay and listened to what
was going on. The fairies, in whom you perhaps all believe,
have also been quite numerous in your vicinity, and from
my relationship to them, I have often heard of your
excursions over hill and dale, and the many gay times
you have enjoyed together. I travel over many regions at
this season of the year, and in order to accomplish
all I wish in my endeavors to please the young folks,
I shall begin my preparations a little earlier than usual,
so you need not wonder if I visit some of
you a little before Christmas and New Year with one
of my gifts. This will consist of a few of
the simplest little sketches, letters, and reminiscences of the various
occurrences in which you have participated, And I hope the
contents of this Christmas bow will give you as much
satisfaction as those of by gone seasons. When the festive
pine tree erected to my honor has been loaded with
gay and glittering gifts, I trust you will all enjoy
the holiday, and with glad and grateful hearts fully appreciate
the many privileges you enjoy as the children of kind parents,
and the objects of interest to affectionate friends. Of course,
you will be most forcibly reminded of the giver of
all these blessings, and you will love to listen about
the gentle Child Jesus, in honor of whose birth the
day is celebrated. By looking back upon the past year,
you can see what steps you have taken in self improvement,
what you have learned, what left unlearned, and the retrospect
will help you to form new plans for the future,
which now rises bright and beautifully before you. One little
girl will have the satisfaction of having almost conquered a
peevish temper which made her very disagreeable. Another will have
acquired habits of neatness and order so necessary to comfort
and enjoyment. This scholar will have an increase of memory
and thus avoid the repetition of that troublesome phrase, oh,
I forgot, And that one will become more thoughtful and
will not consider the excuse I didn't think sufficient to
cover her frequent blunders. A nice, hearty little fellow that
I know will have learned to read fluently and to
love his books for the sake of all the good
and pleasant things he can find in them. While another
rogue will be kind and gentle to his sisters and
give up the naughty habit of teasing his companions. The
proud child will learn her true value and not think
herself better than her mates on account of her pretty face,
fine clothes, or handsome residence. While best of all these changes,
the cowardly and deceitful will be ever brave and truthful,
finding that honesty is the greatest safeguard, and truthfulness a
shield from many temptations. All foolish quarrels will be forgotten,
and the spirit of love and good will pervade all
their actions. As the children resolve to aid their kind
parents in family cares, the brother and sister, mutually assisting
each other and with cheerful bright faces, make a perpetual
will sunshine at home. In this delightful progress. The claims
of those who have always served you as devoted domestics
will not be forgotten, and by your thoughtfulness you can
thus atone for many an unkind word or heedless exaction
on your part. As children of benevolent parents, you will
help to bestow gifts upon the poor and needy, and
nothing I know from watching you all will be more
pleasant than this part of the Christmas rejoicings. I shall
want to hear from you in answer to this lengthy epistle,
for I know you are all used to writing, and
be assured I shall ever feel a sincere and hearty
interest in your welfare, and whatever may be your position
in life, memory will carry me back to the happy
days spent in the pretty village of d And now
as I draw on my seven league boots for other scenes,
I will wish you all a Merry Christmas and a
happy New Year, Santa Claus. And of a letter from
Santa Claus for Christmas eighteen forty nine,