SERENDIPITY: There is a darling photo of "Santa and Wesley Van Wallendael" on pg. 180 of the Nov-Dec 1989 issue of "The Genealogical Helper" magazine. The photo of the infant is a wonderful seasonal picture in that little Wesley appears to be sitting on stuffed reindeer (?toy) with an old-fashioned, real-life Santa holding him up.

The photo was shared by Jackie Selden Riley, Long Beach, CA, and she said that the adorable, young baby was her husband's cousin and that the photo was taken in Brooklyn (Kings Co.) New York in December of 1921. Mrs. Riley stated, "It is interesting to note that even then, it was a custom to have a picture taken with Santa Claus at Christmas. The costume has changed a little but the tradition is the same."

Please reference that issue for more details regarding submitter's address at that time. She does not give details about little Wesley Van Wallendael's parents. Neverthless, perhaps this "snippet" will provide just the right clue to a researcher who may recognize a similar photo in his/her own family album.