Santa's Rise in Popularity

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In Brockton, Massachusetts around 1890 an image of Santa Claus done by Thomas Nast inspired the owner of a dry goods store. Colonel James Edgar wondered if Santa Claus could make patrons more apt to buy for Christmas. He is a popular fellow around town dressing up whenever there is an occasion. The town knows him and they know his store. His business sense sparks a new revolution in Christmas advertising. He is a merchant and why not turn a legend into a salesman? What a perfect way to bring people into his store and sell his goods. It was the first time a human face was put on Santa Claus. He decides he looks like Santa and he becomes the jolly old fellow for the shoppers in his store. So kids begin asking their parents to take them to the store so they can see Santa. This means they spend more money. People began coming from all around the country to see Santa and there were lines out in the street. It wasn't long before other stores started to have Santas in their stores. This was an entirely new thing, actually having access to the man. So many Santas start to be seen in stores and children begin to wonder what is going on, who is the real Santa? In 1897 an eight-year-old girl named Virginia O'Hanlin wrote a letter to the editor of the New York Sun asking if Santa Claus was real. Her father had told her that if you read in the Sun it was true. This spawns a letter in response beginning with "Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus!" He is confirmed and that of the true magic of the holiday. This letter embraces the mysteries of life and the adults are even in it with the kids. It is a tradition that carries over to today with Norad tracking Santa's journey across the United States' air space. The picture is from my collection that I've saved down through the years.