From the Dec. 23, 1920 edition of the Gazette:
The pack of good St. Nicholas is almost if not quite as big as his heart, but even so he may need his smelling salts when he reads the order some of the youngsters up West Tisbury way have put in for Christmas stores. Probably, being a saint and something of a miracle man, he’ll bear up under the blow that might prove fatal to a mere human. For all of will his reindeer and all of his men will just about manage to take care of this island’s needs if every boy and every girl on the island let himself loose in his letters in similar fashion.
Wonder what Leslie Smith cares about having a $10 gold piece when his first request was for a million dollars? They must deal with high finance up island, for Leslie isn’t the only one who bids for Millions. There’s one call for a billion.
What insidious propagandist has been at work extolling the charms of the hee-haw donkey, goat and rat so that most every body longs for one in the same breath and the same line that he or she demands a simple little thing like a tractor or a ton truck or a house or a battleship or any of the other pocket sized toys that the youth of West Tisbury desire?
Choctaw or Sanskrit, French or plain American, every one knows that St. Nicholas is conversant with them all and will have no trouble in putting two and two together when it comes to requests for a “pair a saw, dutch choes, a lomenzeen automobile, or a pair of seats.”
Well, Leslie, who wants the most and Colson who wants the least, and all the other boys and girls of Martha’s Vineyard, big and little, here’s hoping Santa Claus rings you your hearts desire.
Dear Santa Claus,
Christmas is coming. I would like to have these things. I want one million dollars, please, and a water gun and a train and a cart. And a bow and arrow and a dog, and a fish-pond and a B-B rifle and a Flexible Flyer, and a tricycle and motorcycle and a dirigible and a cannon, and a hydroplane and a monkey and a donkey and a pair of skates size 12, and a submarine and a motorboat, and a soldier suit and a balloon and a automobile and a alcohole-boat, and a bathing suit and a tractor, and a box of chocolate and a clown and a toy elephant, and a jump and a hew-haw donkey and a cat, and a box of fudge and a sword and a battle ship. And a toy fire engine and a box of toy tools and a hee-haw rat and a Junior-racer and a ten dollar gold piece and a water cannon and ten toy horse and 26 toy trees that will stand up, and a big black bord to write on and a pkg. of chock to write with, and a hee-haw automobile and a toy ladder, and a rist watch and a flazh light and a tent, and a cap and a coat and a pair of shoes sizes 13 and five pair of pans size 10, and a jackknife and a sweater sizes 10, and a camera and a hee-haw goate. I will thank you very much.
Leslie Smith, West Tisbury.
Dear Santa Claus I want a sled and a box of candy. Colson.
Dear Santa Claus, Christmas is coming. I would like to have a watch and dress and shoes, 2 bracelet and hat and skates and slade rain coat and hat ond bicycle and canoe and pales and lomenzeen automobile and bathing suit and piano, pony and wagon and rubber bots, set of dishes. Hundreds dollars and airoplanes and some aranges and apples and fudge and a ring with a stone in it and a music book and a foundin pen and violins, flag and a big slate and muf and gloves and teethpaste and skarft and a basket ball and sisrss and a thimeb land some banana and mellons, graphone and needles and flashlight. A desk and chair, a pocket book, a coat and hat. I want a tenis set with nine balls and rackets, and I want some seeds of flower to paint next summer, and a red cross suit and a nurse suit. A big doll two yards long and a table and eight chairs and a bed. I want a rill clock that goes. And 20 boks and that is all for this Christmas. Thank you, Good-bye, Santa Claus.
Charlotte West, West Tisbury.
Dear Santa, Christmas is coming, place may I have a pair of skats, sise 4th. I want a doll that has hair and a doll house. I want a pair of white shoes 3s, I want a red hat and 2 pair of silk stockings and a box of candy. I thank you dear santa. Margaret A. Mitchell, West Tisbury, Mass.
Dear Santa Claus:
And I want a doll, cart, dog, sled, tricycle, automobile, balloon, set dishes, skates, house, pair of stoengs, crayons,, horse, train, rabbit, box fedd, pair of rubber boots 10, monkey, hee haw donkey, paper dolls, finny picture, candy.
I thank you veary much, Dear Santa Claus.
Louise Iona Alley, West Tisbury, Mass.
Dear Santa Claus Christmas is coming. I want a doll and I want a doll cart and I want a sled and I want a set of dishes and I want a doll house, and I want a play dog. I thank you Santa a chaus. Drusilla D. W. West, West Tisbury.
Dear Santa Clas. I wanta toy barn, a toy house, a truck and some horses and cows, wagon, a tractor, steamboat, hee haw donkey, a toy santa clas, $6,000000. Thank you santa.
Robert A. Woodaman, West Tisbury.
Compiled by Hilary Wallcox
library@mvgazette.com
