Santa's Toy Shop 
The Walt Disney Studio ~ Golden Press, 1950
After having spent the better part of my 20s and 30s decidedly anti-Disney, the arrival of my son four years ago heralded my return to loving all things Disney... or at least all things Disney created before 1960. As many of you know, my son and I love watching Uncle Walt's old flicks... with the 1944 film The Three Cabelleros being his current fave while I like seeing Roy Roger and Trigger jam cowboy-style in 1948's Melody Time (though my husband says Dale's horse Buttermilk was waaaaay cooler.) That said, most old Disney stuff is rad, and in particular, really any of the old school Little Golden Books that are illustrated by "The Walt Disney Studio" are usually pretty great. Santa's Toy Shop included.
Oh, everyone is busy in Santa's toy shop. But Santa Claus is busiest of all. He shows the doll makers how to paint on smiles. "I'll take a day off soon," says Santa Claus, "and play!" But letters keep coming from boys and girls, wanting talking dolls and cowboy boots and rocking horses and fireman suits. "I'm just too busy!" Santa Claus sometimes says. "I never have time to play with the toys."
And so goes Santa's dilemma... like being a diabetic trapped in a candy store... or like me and my boy in a Starbucks, but they won't serve us any chocolate milk and iced coffee. Talk about nightmare. No deep meaning here about the true spirit of Christmas or any of that heavy stuff. This title is totally about the toys, which is OK with me when you get a gander of Santa's tubby belly and rum red cheeks. Do you just wanna squeeze him or what!?!
Holy Cow, thanks for the memory! I was looking through your posts and was struck by the first image you posted from this book--I instantly remembered seeing this as a child and that I owned this book. If anyone had asked me if I remembered this book by its title, I never would have, but that image is ingrained in my brain, apparently. I remember those little elves, and the Santa in this book is just as jolly and round as you could wish for. Great find!
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