A Captured Santa Claus

by Page Thomas Nelson 1853-1922

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Genres: Christmas, Short Stories, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classics, Holiday

116 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1902

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A truly charming story set during the American Civil War, featuring a military Major and his family. A simple but enchanting Christmas read!

[Angela M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories of Christmases past seem to be filled with the spirt, the love of family , the hope of children that Santa would bring gifts. This lovely Christmas story taking place during the Civil War reflects all of this as well as the love of a father for his children and the shared humanity of both sides . A beautiful story.
A link to the story: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/33666...

[Charles van Buren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wartime Christmas in occupied Virginia

Review of Free Kindle edition
No illustrations in this edition from Amazon

Product Details
ASIN: B004TPRVN6
Publication date: March 24, 2011
Language:: English
File size: 196 KB
Simultaneous device usage: Unlimited
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
Screen Reader: Supported
Enhanced typesetting: Enabled
X-Ray: Not Enabled
Word Wise: Enabled
Print length: 42 pages
Page numbers source ISBN: 1503068048
Lending: Enabled

When I was a young and very junior clerk with the F.B.I., I heard an older, supervisory clerk tell one of the agents from someplace very far north of the Mason Dixon Line that she was 17 years old before she learned that damn and Yankee were two seperate words. That's just the way things were growing up in the South in the 50's. Thomas Nelson Page was known for his pro-Southern sentiments and writing but just as with his story, TWO LITTLE CONFEDERATES, this story shows a human side to the Yankee "ogres". The Yankee general and some of his men are not "damn Yankees" but just people also caught up in a terrible war. This one was written to bring tears to the eyes and a glow to the heart. A great Christmas read and reread.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

1863 Holly Hill, Virginia. This is a special short story, my first book involving Civil War and it's a Christmas story! It's a charming short story that shows there are good people on both sides of the conflict.

A Captured Santa Claus is currently free from Amazon (USA)

I’d like to give a shout out to Charles for his recommendation.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is Christmas in 1863. The location is Holly Hill, Virginia. The family of a Confederate Major awakes to gifts that have been recycled. It is not the Christmas of their memories. Still, Major Stafford does find a way to keep his promise to visit his four children and wife for the day. When he leaves he takes with him the dearest wishes of his little ones for their next Christmas. Through the following year, the Major fights valiantly and is promoted to Colonel. He is determined to provide the Christmas of their dreams for his family. As the fighting draws near to Holly Hill, will Santa be able to break through? Will the family still be in their home or will they be refugees? As we view this story through our 21st century lens it is easy to cast aspersions on the losing side. Stories like this remind us of the humanity of those who are not in our camp. Occasions like Christmas can be unifiers and that is beautifully depicted in this classic story. My thanks to my Goodreads friend Kay who posted a review and the information about the free Kindle download for this story. Check it out for yourself and enjoy it on Christmas Eve.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really sweet story that is set in Virginia 1863, during the civil war.
The father of the family is away fighting for the Confederacy.
He is trying to get home to bring gifts for his children that he’s bought and kept packaged and strapped behind his saddle throughout the year…because he has promised them that “Santa Claus” will bring them gifts.
I loved the illustrations!

Thank you to Angela M for her review and link to the story!

[Luís · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up with this book. I was so glad I could find a copy!

[Ingrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely Christmas story! Thanks Charles van Buren for recommending it.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet short story set towards the end of the Civil War. The Stafford family are keeping the home fires burning while Col Stafford is fighting for the Confederacy. He has promised his children the presents they desire the next Christmas when he hopes to be home from the war. This story highlights the Christmas spirit of love and family in times of hardship.

I looked up the author as I thought he probably was impacted by the war as a child and from that this story emerged. What I found is that he was a lawyer and a well-known author of the traditional plantation literature that idealized the South and slavery prior to the Civil War and was used to promote the Lost Cause myth across the New South. This story has maybe only one small overt piece that supports that theme.

[Stjepan Cobets · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute Christmas story that reminds me of an event when a truce broke out on the front during Christmas during World War I. Here the plot is set during the US Civil War and the horrors of the war seen from children’s eyes. Even in the darkness of war, there is little light in human souls and this should explain to us how much war as war is the worst thing that happens through the periods of our civilization. The light in our souls can only stop the madness that reigns in those times. A short story about Christmas that you could read because it says that we should always look for light even in dark times.

[Clay Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for Saint Nicholas Day.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming short story about an American soldier who is captured while on his way to take Christmas presents to his children. It's good to see a story that shows people can care, even in the middle of a war. Thanks to my Goodreads friend Charles for recommending it to me.

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Angela M for providing the link to this short story from The Project Gutenberg. The copyright date goes back to 1891 with Charles Scribner's Sons publishing this edition in October of 1902. The lovely illustrations accompanying the story are the work of W.L. Jacobs.

The story is set in Virginia during the American Civil War with the children of Major Stafford of Holly Hill bemoaning the fact that Santa Claus hasn't been able to make a Christmas visit. Their father is determined that Christmas will come the next year and sets out to make that happen, even as the fighting is on the very doorstep of his home.

The story embodies the love parents feel for their children and grandchildren and the warmth of the Christmas spirit even in the midst of war.

[Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable short Christmas read.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a darling little tale! A father makes a promise to his children, and he risks his life to keep it, even to crossing enemy lines to get to them.

I heartily disagree with the prior reviewer who thinks the father being a good soldier and the kids loving him makes it a bit of Southern propaganda. For anyone familiar with Page's work, he wrote books with Union protagonists as well. It was simply necessary to the conflict of the story that the father be Southern, and no one can deny that there were good, upright men on both sides of the fighting.

[Mir]

The title was so promising! But in fact it seems to be that peculiarly American genre of valorization of the Southern side of the civil war. Although not very well idealized in this case as we've got a bunch of kids who hardly seem to care that their father is risking his life in the war but whine a lot about their mother not being able to afford better Christmas presents.

[Sterlingcindysu · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short quick free read for Kindle from Amazon. My edition didn't have illustrations.

This story (written in 1902) is set at the end of the Civil War. To me, the most famous Christmas Civil War scene is the one that starts Little Women.



This story takes place on the "wrong" side of the Mason-Dixon line. One thing that I just don't believe in this story is that the Confederate father would buy a Union uniform for his son. My sentiments were exactly aligned with what the 5-year-old boy said! Although I guess over time the blue would wash out and be grey-ish or they would be outgrown.

Confederates used smuggling dolls to move medicine through Union blockades.

[Miles Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely charming Christmas story set at the end of the Civil War in Northern Virginia.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful Christmas story takes place during the American Civil War. It is free on the Internet.
Thanks to Angela M for her review and link to the story.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an unexpectedly touching story. In the midst of the Civil War, a Confederate officer gets home to his family at Christmas and is gravely troubled by how meager the holiday was for his children. Over the next year, he strives at every turn to find the presents his children had hoped for the year before. But how is he supposed to slip across enemy lines to reach his house with his Christmas presents? This is a story about surprising humanity and compassion in the midst of the United States’ bitterest war. Thank you to the top Amazon reviewer who recommended it to me.

If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.

[Debra Lochtrog · Rating 4 out of 5]

A taste of war between the states struggle to maintain a traditional Christmas

Lovely little book reflecting the hardships of war and the attempts of parents to maintain stability for the children. Children fight for stability too!

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I normally do not rate books as "charming," but this time I will. "A Captured Santa Claus" is a charming short story with a Holiday theme set in the Civil War era. It not only entertained me, but so easily took me back to simpler times, or at least what we perceive as simpler times.
Recommended.

[Jessica Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book wasn't what I had expected. Nonetheless it was interesting reading about the effects of war on a family during Christmas time.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of humanity and compassion during the American civil war, this is a lovely little story, a hidden gem. It has all the ingredients of a great little Christmas story. A father trying to get home to his children for Christmas, the children wondering if Santa will be able to call due to the war. It’s a heartwarming touching Christmas story.

[Stephen C Meisel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Civil war story of a parents promise

Good little story. Told from the rebels side of the story. The Union shows up and things get complicated quickly. Good resolution of a good crisis. Old writing but worth the read

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful story. Recommended by my sister Jeri.

[Jeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I surely did not expect to find this charming little book already on Goodreads! Written only a few decades after the Civil War, it is set in the home of a Confederate major who is off to war, leaving his stalwart family of four children, one wife, and his loyal staff to protect them. Christmas miracles occur when good deeds are rewarded at Christmastime.