the st. nicholas magazine

well, there was a bit of a frost last night - not uncommon in these parts until mid-may, and it got me reminiscing about colder, christmasy times and so today's entry is about a now defunct but once glorious annual.

as a young boy and then later as a young man, i really loved the “annuals” and “ treasuries” that came my way at christmas. i had a similar feeling recently when i came across a site devoted to an annual named st. nicholas.

named after st. nicholas (who in canada is commonly known as santa claus), st. nicholas the magazine was published between the years 1873 and 1941. designed for children between the ages of five and eighteen, st. nicholas was edited by mary mapes dodge, most widely known for her authorship of hans brinker, and the silver skates.

featuring an incredible array of the very best writers including the serialized work of rudyard kipling (the jungle book), louisa may alcott (jo’s boys), and frances hodgson burnett (little lord fauntleroy), st. nicholas drew writers as famous as jack london into its fold:
repel boarders . . .
the cruise of the dazzler . . .
in yeddo bay . . .


others included . . .

• emily dickinson
• charles kingsley (westward ho!)
• christina rossetti ("who has seen the wind?")
• ernest thompson seton (wild animals i have known)
• robert louis stevenson
• alfred lord tennyson
• mark twain
• john greenleaf whitter
• laura ingalls wilder (little house books)
• kate douglas wiggin (rebecca of sunnybrook farm)

the editorial policy of st. nicholas was rigorous, reflective of the times but makes for worthy reading . . . .

to give clean, genuine fun to children of all ages.
to give them examples of the finest types of boyhood and girlhood.
to inspire them with an appreciation of fine pictorial art.
to cultivate the imagination in profitable directions.
to foster a love of country, home, nature, truth, beauty, and sincerity.
to prepare boys and girls for life as it is.
to stimulate their ambitions--but along normally progressive lines.
to keep pace with a fast-moving world in all its activities.
to give reading matter which every parent may pass to his children unhesitatingly.

if you’d like to see and read a whole pile of st. nicholas magazines i wouldn’t blame you. i did and they’re really really lovely! taking you back to a time long past but still within the experience and memories of many of my readers, you’ll re-enter a world filled with imagination and kindness and fun!

you can read st. nicholas online . . .

or you can head over to project gutenberg where you’ll find a set of st. nicholas magazines from the late 1800’s. go here and type in the search “st. nicholas magazine”. happy travels!!