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Letters to Santa at the State Theatre
Long before email, websites, and online wish lists, children in Sandwich had another way to contact Santa Claus.
They wrote letters to the State Theatre.
Santa Comes to Town
During the Christmas season of 1945, the State Theatre announced that Santa Claus had established his local headquarters at the theater. Youngsters were encouraged to mail their Christmas letters directly to him by addressing them to:
Santa Claus
Care of State Theatre
Sandwich, Illinois
According to the newspaper announcement, Santa promised to answer as many letters as time allowed.
For many local children, it must have seemed like a direct connection to the North Pole.
More Than a Movie Theatre
The State Theatre was far more than a place to watch movies.
Throughout its history, the theater hosted community events, holiday celebrations, amateur nights, contests, children’s programs, and special appearances. At Christmas time, it became part of the holiday traditions of Sandwich families.
The simple newspaper notice reminds us that theaters once played an important role in community life, especially for young people.
A Holiday Tradition
Although only a brief announcement, the invitation to write Santa Claus through the State Theatre offers a glimpse into a different era.
Children eagerly awaited Christmas morning, parents shopped downtown stores decorated for the season, and the local theater helped bring a little holiday magic to town.
For the youngsters of Sandwich, a letter addressed to Santa Claus at the State Theatre may have been the most important letter they wrote all year.
Remembering the State Theatre
Today the State Theatre is gone, but stories like this help preserve memories of the role it played in the life of the community.
For a brief time each Christmas season, the theater became something more than a movie house.
It became Santa’s local post office.
Facts at a Glance
Date
- December 13, 1945
Location
- State Theatre
- Railroad Street
- Sandwich, Illinois
Holiday Tradition
- Children could mail letters to Santa Claus through the State Theatre
- Letters were addressed to Santa Claus, care of State Theatre
- Newspaper reported Santa would answer as many letters as possible
Continue the Story
Research & Sources
- Sandwich Free Press, December 13, 1945
- State Theatre newspaper advertisements and announcements
- Historic Sandwich research collection