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Dear Santa, Will You Have To Stay Away?

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 21, 2008

Fathers and mothers, newspaper editors and selective service boards worried about children and the impending war. On Dec. 21, 1941, the editorial page of the Tampa Sunday Tribune addressed several issues: "Supreme War Council," "Red Cross Needs Money" and "A Letter From Santa Claus."

Billy, a young Tampa resident, had written Santa expressing his concerns about the war.

Dear Santa Claus:

I am a worried little boy. I have heard Mother and Father talking about the awful things that are happening in the world and how our country has gone to war and how our soldiers and sailors have been killed and our ships sunk, and that everything we do must be changed so that everybody can give their whole time and money and everything to win the war.

I lay awake last night wondering if there will be any Christmas and if you will come this year, or will you have to stay away on account of the war. Please write me at once so I will know what to expect, and can go to sleep again.

Your friend,

Billy

Santa reassured Billy:

You can stop worrying, dear Billy, and not lose any more sleep.

I will be there as usual, and there will be Christmas, as always.

Not all the wars that can be made, not all the bad men that make them, can stop Christmas or stop me ...

Your friend, Santa Claus

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