A Precious Christmas Discovery

I just read a poignant story in my newspaper about a man who accidentally found a more than 100 year old heart wrenching treasure. It's a story about what Christmas should be, but rarely is in this age of consumerism and selfishness. Peter Mattaliano decided to redo the fireplace in his New York City apartment and with his brother, broke open the fireplace. Out fell unearthed letters written to Santa, signed by two children named Mary and Alfred in 1905.

"I want a drum and a hook and ladder," read Alfred's letter from 1905, while a 1907 letter from Mary was stuffed in an envelope tagged for Santa in "Raindeerland." "The letters were written in this room, and for 100 years, they were just sitting there, waiting," Mattaliano says. After poking around on genealogy web sites, Mattaliano found that Mary and Alfred were the kids of Irish immigrants Patrick and Esther McGann and the letters were written after Patrick died in 1904.

The letters presented a picture of a turn-of-the-century family that likely lived in poverty. Most striking was Mary's slightly singed letter, which read: "Dear Santa Claus ... My little brother would like you to bring him a wagon which I know you cannot afford. I will ask you to bring him whatever you think best. Please bring me something nice what you think best." After her signature, she added, "P.S. Please do not forget the poor."

Wow! Would many kids today be so selfless? Her words, "Don't forget the poor,'"  were touching. Monttaliano and his brother asked each other, "What did she think poor was?"  In today's world "poor" seems to often be the kid with only one I pad. The find is a reminder to not only be less selfish, but to go back into the past and see what lessons can be taught for us today.

The brothers found that Alfred had died in 1965, Mary in 1979, both in Queens, New York. The letters, which Mattaliano calls his "most treasured possessions," are now framed on his fireplace mantel, as are the doll and tiny wagon he added this year. "I wanted them to have a Christmas present, even if it was 100 years too late," Now that's a story that makes my Christmas a lot more meaningful this year.