Asking for a Who, Not a What, From His Ho-Ho-Ho Highness

HEY, THERE!

Annnd, we're back! 

Back to the archives and checking in at The Library. 

The Library of Congress (IYKYK)

If you missed the first installment, you can catch up here with the fad that was “spreading to beat the mumps.”

Today we’re digging into some special letters published on this day in 1907. 

Letters to the Busiest Man of the Month.

Let’s see WHO the authors name-dropped like it’s hot.

Next up in this issue:

• The WHO requested from his Ho-Ho-Ho Highness

• Toy Neutrality and who violated it

• Work-from-home turns to the assembly line

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DEEP DIVE
DEAR SANTA: CAN YOU BRING ME . . .
‘THAT BIG TEDDY BEAR IN DEBAUN’S WINDOW’ 

The Library of Congress never fails to disappoint, especially with its trove of teddy bear stories. 

Real stories from back in the day that give us a glimpse of THOSE days.

When newspapers like The Cairo Bulletin had Sunday Morning editions with print ads run by the Kaufman Bros. which boasted  “Some Excellent Gift Suggestions” for the holiday season. 

Paper mache jointed dolls with moveable eyes, shoes and stockings ($10) were for sale along with “new and high class Mechanical Toys, Steam Engines and Magic Lanterns.” 

So what better pairing with this “gift guide”  than letters to the Busiest Man of the Month. 

Yes, 117 years ago today, kids in Cairo, Illinois, had some detailed requests for Dear Old Saint Nick. 

• Fruits, nuts and kid gloves 

• Dolls with real eyelashes 

• Signet rings, shoes and pianos. 

But WHO, dear readers, was on almost every list? 

Our fur-ever friend.

Excerpt from The Cairo Bulletin, published on Sunday, December 15, 1907.

That same year, the original teddy bear factory in Germany passed a major milestone. According to Steiff.com, the company produced 1.7 million toys.

How many did the company say were bears?

973,999

Mama Says She’s Good.
Dear Old Santa: I’m a good little girl 7 years old and I go to school every day and mamma says I am a very good girl and would like for you to bring me an opal ring, a pair of kid gloves, a Teddy Bear, and a doll and a little truck for my doll’s clothes and a doll buggy. That will be all for this Xmas, so good-bye dear Santa.

ERMA DAVIDGE
424 Douglas Lane

Muff and Teddy Bear
Dear Santa Claus: I will write and tell you what I want for Christmas. I want a muff and fur and I want a teddy bear and I want a stocking cap for my doll. I don't need any dolls this year but you can bring me a nice ring. Don't forget Ethel Butler, she lives next door to me. I live at 418 Seventh street.

ETHEL RICHARDSON.

Money Scarce-Clothes.
Dear Santa Claus: As money is scarce I believe I would rather have some clothes. So please bring me a pair of new shoes, a pair of kid gloves, a heatherbloon skirt and Santa Claus if you have any toys to spare, bring me a choo-choo and a wow-wow. That’s all; your friend.

MARGARET WEBER,
231 Highland avenue, Cairo, III.

Only Three Years Old.
Dear Santa: I am only three years old, but I want a good many things. I want a teddy bear, a doll and doll buggy, a pair of kid gloves. You don't need to bring me a bracelet for my Aunt Dorris is going to give me one. So good-bye for this Christmas, Dear Santa.

DOROTHY DAVIDGE,
424 Douglas street, Cairo, III.

Loop the Loop.
Dear Santa Claus: I am a little boy 6 years old. I want a ball, a wagon: a loop the loop, a train that runs on a track, and a story book. Please don't forget my brothers and big sister and my mother and father. Bring nuts, candy and oranges. O yes, baby said he wanted a teddy bear and a wagon. I had my brother write this for me because I can not write,

HOWARD ERICKSON,
712 Thirty-fifth street

Gloves and Red Coat. 
Dear Santa Claus: As scrip is no good to you and cash money is so scarce in Cairo, I will not ask for very much this Christmas, but Dear Santa, I would like to have my dollies dressed and a Christmas tree and a pair of shoes, kid gloves, a new red coat and music roll, handkerchief and two books, five little peppers and billy whiskers. Well Dear Santa, bring me candy, fruits, nuts and if you have amind to you can bring me that big teddy bear in DeBaun’s window. Well, good-bye, Dear Santa. With love and kisses, Your little friend,

NELLETTA EHLMAN
519 Center street. 

House Furnishings.
Dear Santa Claus: I thought I would write you a letter and tell you what I want for Christmas. I want a Dolly, a bed and table and two chairs and table cloth, a stove and skilllet, a coal bucket, a shovel, water bucket, a dipper, tub and washboard, ironing board and two irons, a sofa and two pillows, a pair of pants and coat for my teddy bear, a little dough board, and biscuit pan, a bedspread and two quilts, a trunk, some candy and nuts and grapes. If I get this I will be satisfied. Your little darling,

LUCILE HOLARD.
1505 Poplar street.

Collar For "Fritz."
Dear Santa Claus: Please bring me a teddy bear and a dolly that goes to sleep and some ribbon for my hair and some candy and nuts and Santa Clans please bring my dog, Fritz, a nice collar with his name on it. That's all. Your little girl,

MARY SPUART WARD.
721 Thirty-eighth street, Cairo, Ill.

Teddy Bear and Stove.
Dear Santa Claus: Please bring me a teddy bear, stove, games, a new dress, story book, candy and nuts and oranges. Santa do not forget the poor little children. Your friend, 

MABLE TAYLOR

Been Good All Year.
Dear Santa Claus: I am a little boy 4 years old. I have been good all year, so please bring me a drum, a violin, an Irish mail, a teddy bear and an automobile. Good-bye Santa. Your little boy.

CLINTON TERRELL, JR.

Nice Teddy Bear.
My Dear Santa: As it is almost Christmas  all little girls and boys will be writing to you I will tell you what I want. Please bring me a nice teddy bear and a choo choo train that runs on a track, and a horn and picture book. I will now bid you good-bye. From your friend

ROY HILL

Has a Sand Christmas. 
Dear Santa Claus: I am a little girl 7 years old. As God has taken my papa a short time ago this is a very sad Christmas to me. So I will not ask for very much. Please bring me a pink scarf to wear around my neck and a little white teddy bear and some candy and oranges. From your little friend, 

EVA MAY PENZER.
718 Thirty-sixth Street.

Cowboy Suit. 
Dear Santa Claus: I am a little boy 6 years old and I want you to bring me a cowboy suit, a gun that will last longer than the one you brought last Xmas, a pair of roller skates, a cannon that will shoot matches, and a two wheel bicycle, a violin that will play good, a horn, a good measuring rule, some candy, a rain coat and hat. So good bye Santa Claus, have a good time. 

WILLIAM SIMON.

‘TOYLAND’S NEUTRALITY VIOLATED!’

Seven years later, Toyland’s Neutrality was violated. 

The Ogden Standard (Ogden, Utah) magazine declared it so on December 19, 1914, in a lengthy piece entitled: 

TOYLAND’S NEUTRALITY VIOLATED!
Teddy Bear and Fuzzy Wuzzy Monkey Take to the Woods to Make Room for a Battleship Fleet and Soldiers with 20-Inch Gun in Christmas Stocking. 

More context is definitely needed with this kind of lead: 

MERRIE CHRISTMASVILLE (Via Wireless to Father's Purse)
Just Before Christmas. Refugees from Kris Krinkle Island and Reindeer City declare the neutrality of Toyland has been violated and a hostile army of German infantrymen, accompanied by artillery-men using twenty-inch guns, assisted by the British Navy, have driven the Teddy Bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy and other old favorites out of the pack of Santa Claus, and forced them to retreat with heavy losses. 

I imagine the writer means a new band of military toys booted old favorites like the bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy monkey and more, out of Santa’s bag. 

But 110 years later, WE know what teddy bear lovers knew then: 

Santa’s bottomless bag makes room for newcomers, but:

AN ICON STAYS AN ICON. 

Even if it means sharing the spotlight.

The article also offers some interesting backstory about toys reflecting the times and the growth of U.S. toy manufacturing.

Read on for the excerpt from The Ogden Standard, December 19, 1914.

AMERICAN TOY FACTORIES RECEIVE GREAT BOOST.

Toy factories in America have received a great boost from the European War. According to unofficial communications which have passed censor, several American concerns gave orders to enlarge their plans for Christmas toys as soon as they learned Germany had declared war on France.

They realized there would be a better market for toys in America than there ever has been because the old supply points had been cut off. American buyers in Germany, the land of toys, were in Europe making purchases when the war broke out. As soon as they could get away they came to America.

Their purchases, which were due to arrive in September and October came as late as November and some have not yet arrived and probably never will come. The buyers for the toy stores and for the toy departments of department stores then placed orders with the manufacturers in this country. They filled their counters with American-made toys and although some of the foreign product has filtered through to America, the children this year will play with many American toys.

The manufacture of military toys has won the Iron Cross in Germany.

Toymaking is a comparatively modern industry. In this country children were given home-made toys, such as rag dolls in the early days. 

The value of great events in the manufacture of toys was first taken advantage of in Germany. The Germans saw that children would play at what their elders were talking about. When a nation is at war the children play war. The war of 1812 saw the introduction of military toys in America. When the German toy manufacturers learned that America and England were at war they manufactured lead soldiers with red coats to represent the British. To oppose them they had blue-coated soldiers to represent the Americans. The Americans were provided with toy cannon which would roll a lead ball over the floor and knock over the British soldiers. These were shipped to America and sold in great quantities.

In England the British were provided with the cannon so they could shoot the Americans and also shoot the French who at that time were fighting the English. 

This idea of making toys according to the news events was carried out when the Teddy Bear was first created. The idea originated with the Germans when Roosevelt was familiarly known all over the United States as Teddy. With the German desire to make what the buyers want came the first Teddy Bears. They were a great success in America. For South America the Germans make the toy that sells there. In the United States we have advanced to the point where we will make what we want ourselves. When we can advance to the point where we will make what the people of the South American countries want we can compete successfully for their trade, whether it be in substantial goods or mere toys.

How the news of the day figures in the toys can be shown in the Panama Canal digger. That is an American toy. Children were interested in the Panama Canal so the digger was created. It was a success from the start. It still is sold and is quite an adjuct to the sand pile. It is such a simple toy that children can get lots of fun out of it.

ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE  

Speaking of manufacturing . . . 

Eleven years after the violation of our Toyland Neutrality, Steiff introduced assembly line production. 

By 1907, the year the Santa letters ran in The Cairo Bulletin, Steiff had grown to 400 employees and relied heavily on its work-from-home team of 1,800.  

Enter the war years and Steiff had to adapt to the limited market. 

Fabric scarcity, according to the company’s web site, gave “rise to the so-called ‘paper teddy bear’” and “toys made of domestic woods are added to the range.” 

In 1925, Steiff said:  

The Golden Twenties again revive the demand for fabric and plush. Steiff introduces assembly line production to meet the high demand for our products. 

With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that Steiff collaborated with Disney six years later. 

Disney x Steiff figures were created in 1931 and the partnership continues today.