Book, “Letters to Santa Claus”, captures Christmas wishes, hopes and fears

Letters to Santa Claus, a new book compiled by The Elves at the Santa Claus Museum & Village and published by Indiana University Press, is now available for purchase at the Santa Claus Museum & Village and major retailers world-wide.

Letters, which was a featured title at this year’s Book Expo America in New York City, captures the Christmas wishes, hopes, fears and even instructions to Santa from over 250 letters dating from the 1930s to the present.

Author Emily Weisner Thompson says the Elves are overjoyed at this opportunity to share some of the letters sent to Santa Claus (via Santa Claus, Indiana) with a wider audience.

“The Elves have archived thousands of their favorite letters over the years, most of which have never been seen before,” said Thompson. “The book is beautifully designed and truly captures the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a child.”

Chief Elf and longtime Santa Claus, Indiana, resident, Pat Koch composed the book’s foreword, reflecting on her memories of the Santa letters program, Santa Jim Yellig, and the importance of preserving history. Thompson, Director at the Santa Claus Museum & Village, penned the afterword, highlighting the history of the town and the story of Santa’s Elves. In between, the book contains hundreds of the most touching or humorous letters that have been sent to Santa Claus, Indiana, over the past century. Thompson and Koch will be attending book signings in November and December throughout the region.

The Santa Claus Museum & Village will host an official book launch on Saturday, December 5, 2015. At 10:00 AM CT in the historic Santa Claus Church, Mrs. Claus will read a selection of her favorite letters from the book and help children with a holiday craft activity following the reading. Pat Koch will also be available for a book signing. Books purchased directly from the museum help support Santa’s Elves and offset the cost of postage on the tens of thousands of letters the group responds to each year.

In addition to the book signing, a host of other family-friendly, Christmas events are scheduled in December as well. For more information about Letters to Santa Claus, or the upcoming Christmas season, visit http://www.santaclausmuseum.org or call 812-544-2434.

The Santa Claus Museum & Village is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the history of Santa Claus, Indiana, and perpetuates the tradition of Santa’s Elves, Inc. by answering letters to Santa.