MLM: All I want for Christmas

Showing old letters to Santa seems to be a common thing to do this time of the year. I hope seeing a few more doesn't cause too much anguish.

When I was planning this post I was thinking that I would be griping about the process of having to write these letters to Santa that never produced the desired results. I thought that it had been a futile effort but it turns out that I actually did get some of the things I asked for. How about that?

Here is my letter from 1958 that I dictated to Mom.
A look back at the pictures of Christmas, 1958, shows that I did get a train! YAY, SANTA! I don't know if I got the stylish brown jeans.


I had to print my letter for 1960 myself.
I got a Dennis the Menace doll sometime but I don't see him in the 1960 pictures. Let's assume that Santa came through for me that year (and years later for Izzy when she sold the box it came in for a tidy sum on eBay).

But I did have a major disappointment that year. I really wanted the Mr. Machine (you'll notice it's first on my list). It was introduced that year so maybe it was the must-have toy of the year and Mom and Dad just couldn't wrest one from another shopper at the local TG&Y. Or maybe they realized that it had an annoying bell that rang constantly. I saw one a few years ago at a local antique store but it was just too late. Watch this commercial for Mr. Machine on YouTube and you'll understand my disappointment.

In 1965 I got more helpful in my letter. I gave Santa the prices (from the Sears catalog) of all the things I wanted. (Why would Santa need to have prices? He has elves making these things!) I checked off the items I got. I scored three times!
I don't remember the Jr. Chef Mixer (for the fantastic price of $6.66!) but it's got a check mark. I was a junior chef! And I got the Mouse Trap game. Did that finally leave the building in the Crapture after only 42 years? I couldn't remember what the Crazy Clock Game was but thank goodness again for YouTube (and TimeWarp Vintage Toys)! That was a silly toy.

Years later I got some toy slot machines from Edmund Scientifics when I could appreciate them more. They were a good introduction to probability.

I hope Santa brings you much of what you want for Christmas this year. Especially world peace.