news how mrs claus embodied 19th-century debates about womens rights december 22 2021 how mrs claus embodied 19th-century debates about womens rights why did she do all the work and santa got all the glory what would happen if she delivered the toys written by dr maura ives this article was originally posted to the conversation on december 15 2021 clement clarke moores 1823 poem account of a visit from st nicholas redefined christmas in america as historian steven nissenbaum explains in the battle for christmas moores secular st nick weakened the holidays religious associations transforming it into a familial celebration that culminated in santa claus toy deliveries on christmas eve nineteenth-century writers journalists and artists were quick to fill in details about santa that moores poem left out: a toy workshop a home at the north pole and a naughty-or-nice list they also decided that santa claus wasnt a bachelor; he was married to mrs claus yet scholars tend to overlook the evolution of santa claus spouse youll see brief references to a handful of late-19th-century mrs claus poems – especially katharine lee bates 1888 goody santa claus on a sleigh ride but as i discovered when i began work on a class about christmas in literature the writers who created mrs claus were not just interested in filling in the blanks of santas personal life the poems and stories about mrs claus that appeared in newspapers and popular periodicals spoke to womens central role in the christmas holiday the character also provided a canvas to explore contemporary debates about gender and politics the hardest-working woman in the north pole christmas in 19th-century america depended on womens time and labor: women prepared family celebrations organized community and church events and worked in industries that fed seasonal demand for cards toys and clothing this work was both essential and at times exhausting: as the century drew to a close the ladies home journal urged its readers not to tire themselves out preparing for christmas many literary depictions of mrs claus paid tribute to the long hours practical know-how and managerial skills that womens holiday preparations required sara conants 1875 short story mr and mrs santa claus which appeared in an 1875 issue of western rural: weekly journal for the farm & fireside celebrated these efforts by describing mrs claus working alongside women across america as they cooked cleaned and sewed in ada sheltons 1885 story in santa claus land santa acknowledged his debt to mrs claus: without her hard work he could never get through the christmas season but on christmas eve mrs claus hit the north poles glass ceiling for conant mrs claus was as indispensable as santa an equal partner in the joint work of preparing for holiday festivities still in most mrs claus literature santa traveled the world filling stockings while mrs claus stayed home to await his return in 1884s mrs santa claus asserts herself sarah j burkes tearful mrs claus ignored by santa and his fans is left to cower alone clasping the fingers shed worked to the bone as santa speeds off on his sleigh a few writers did however reward mrs claus hard work with a sleigh ride of her own georgia greys 1874 short story mrs santa clauss ride allows mrs claus to venture out alone but only after santa – adamantly not a womans rights man – makes her promise to remain unseen to avoid questioning santas authority or the belief that women belonged at home the anonymous author of the 1880 tale mrs santa clauss christmas-eve manufactures an emergency: santa has taken off without some dolls so mrs claus must saddle blitzen and deliver them mrs claus on the naughty list a cartoon from the dec 7 1895 issue of the satirical magazine judge shows a masculine-looking mrs claus on a bicycle leaving santa and her children behind as she pedals away on her way to deliver christmas gifts (judge) other writers were less willing to allow mrs claus to step outside the home negative representations of her christmas eve travels reflected backlash against womens demands for independence and the vote the majority of mrs claus writing took place after the civil war alongside state and national efforts to grant voting rights to women publications geared toward women didnt necessarily advocate for more rights and political power in 1871 the popular womans magazine godeys ladys book published an anti-suffrage petition addressed to congress and signed by a number of prominent women with godeys female editor sarah hale encouraging readers to collect additional signatures like georgia greys santa the petition argued that womens place was in the home not in public charles s dickinsons mrs santa clauss adventure which appeared in the dec 1 1871 issue of woods household magazine offered a cautionary tale for disobedient wives refusing to believe that some children were too naughty to visit mrs claus trades places with santa on christmas eve but when she attempts to climb down chimneys to deliver gifts she is attacked by hateful imps that embody childrens naughty words and deeds depicting mrs claus advocacy for children as unrealistic and naive dickinson echoes anti-suffrage arguments that emphasized the dangers awaiting women who abandoned the home mb hortons a new departure took its title from the national woman suffrage associations failed strategy to register women voters the 1879 story – published like the anti-suffrage petition in godeys ladys book – discredits womens rights activists through its negative portrayal of mrs claus called mrs st nicholas in this telling jealous of santas fame mrs st nick tries to deliver gifts in his place but her plot to usurp santas role as gift-giver fails when santa tricks her into delivering a sack of worthless embarrassing goods mrs claus seems an unlikely target of anti-suffrage propaganda but her association with the ultimate domestic holiday made the idea of an independent mrs claus especially shocking ‘goody santa claus takes the reins nineteenth-century writing about mrs claus focused primarily on her work ethic and whether that work would ever allow her a share of santas christmas limelight but scholar and suffragist katharine lee bates best known as the author of america the beautiful took a different tack: she gave mrs claus a voice and personality of her own drawing upon elements of previous mrs claus literature bates goody santa claus on a sleigh ride creates an outspoken mrs claus who loves her work and her husband – and is not about to be left behind when santa makes his deliveries katharine lee bates goody claus was both affectionate and outspoken (falmouth historical society) like burkes despondent mrs claus bates claus – whose title goody stands in for mrs – begins her monologue with a question: why does santa get all the glory while she has nothing but work goody santa claus on a sleigh-ride first appeared in the childrens periodical wide awake while the illustrations cast mrs claus as affectionate grandmotherly and nonthreatening bates text reveals the powerhouse behind goodys meek exterior most mrs claus literature highlights her domesticity but bates goody is equally adept at housework and outdoor chores as santa snacks on christmas treats and relaxes by the fire goody tends christmas trees an orchard and toy-growing plants; she also raises livestock and takes on the risky-sounding task of chasing thunder to fashion fire-crackers with the lightning although santa allows goody to ride beside him her north pole work resume isnt enough to convince him that she has enough brain to fill a stocking and he fears that seeing her climb a chimney would give his nerves a shock left alone on the rooftop while santa does his work mrs claus is on the outside looking in as she peers through the skylight but the holes in a poor childs christmas stocking stop santa in his tracks: sewing was mrs claus department seizing her chance to shine goody mends the sock proving the value of womens work and breaking santas rules about chimney-climbing and stocking-filling in the process the themes and plots of 19th-century mrs claus writing – including stealth sleigh rides – reappear in mrs claus narratives to this day and for good reason katharine bates thunder-chasing bonnet-wearing sweet-talking goody – and the many mrs clauses who came before her – still speak to every woman who has ever dreamed of a little rest a little recognition and a seat in the sleigh home page news english gender literature maura ives poetry