Horsing Around
An Edwardian letter to Father Christmas
Tis the season to be merrily writing to Santa, the one time of year children are guaranteed to employ their best handwriting. Even though Mail Obsession features general British trivia (postcodes are just the device for splitting the country up), I still included a few gems of postal history - like this Edwardian boy's letter to the man in red ...
Dear Santa
When I said my prayers last night, I told God to tell you to bring me a hobby-horse. I don’t want a hobby-horse, really. A honestly live horse is what I want. Mamma told me not to ask for him, because I probably would make you mad, so you wouldn’t give me anything at all, and if I got him I wouldn’t have any place to keep him. A man I know will keep him, he says, if you get him for me. I thought you would like to know.
Please don’t be mad.
Affectionately,
John.
PS – a Shetland would be enough
PS – I’d rather have a hobby-horse than nothing at all