Short Stuff: The Santa Claus Association

This Christmas-themed Short Stuff episode tells the wild true story of John Duvall Gluck Jr., a con man who stepped up to save Christmas in New York City back in 1913 by founding the Santa Claus Association—an organization that answered letters to Santa from needy children when the Postal Service had given up on the job. Josh and Chuck explore how this charming fraud actually did something genuinely good for once, rallying New Yorkers to donate generously and fulfill thousands of children's Christmas wishes each year, even as he eventually got caught embezzling funds and had to flee to Miami. It's a fascinating tale of how one shady character's scheme somehow led to a beloved holiday tradition that continues today through the Postal Service's Operation Santa Claus.