I have never seen this book before. And working on the assumption that many of you will not have either, I think it's worth sharing a few pearlers.
In the text, Bill Adler says he made his selection from thousands of letters, notes and cards sent to Santa each year.
Here's a few crackers (ah-hem), so to speak.
''Dear Santa: You don't have to give me anything for Christmas. Just leave something for all the other days. Love, George.''
''Dear Santa Claus. I need toys for this year and the next year and the next year. I can't write every year. Love, Max.''
''Dear Santa, I went to a lot of stores and I saw a lot of Santas. I think there are a lot of fake Santas around using your name. Love, Marlene.''
''Dear Santa Claus, for Christmas I would like very much to have a real doctor's bag. I want to try some operations on my friends. Love, Milton.''
And here's my favourite: ''Dear Santa Claus, I want one of everything you got. Morris.''
I wonder where Morris is now and what he's doing?
Christmas decorations
Heather Bray, of Corstorphine, Kyle's grandmother, says the Santa is their oldest decoration.
''It was made by my great-grandmother Margaret Pool, nee Wilson, (1881-1954) more than 70 years ago and it has pride of place every year on our Christmas tree. He has lost his hat and his wadding hair over the years but we will not mend him.
''We have started a new tradition in our family. Grandson Kyle was born on December 23, 2015 - my best Christmas present ever - and on his birthday every year we plan to take a photograph of him with his three-time great-grandmother's Santa.''
That sounds like a wonderful idea, Heather.
Remember Marilyn Dunn of Kaka Point's nursery rhyme Christmas lights in yesterday's column? Marilyn tells me a Dunedin lady called her to say they had the same set and were unsure where to get replacement bulbs. She suggested trying out a few garage sales, where she might find old lights with screw-in bulbs.
Volts-Firebirds fizzer
''Fizzer'' I reckon sums up what happened on Sunday afternoon in Dunedin when the rain came down, first lightly and then much more heavily, forcing the twenty20 cricket game between Otago and Wellington to be abandoned without a ball being bowled.
What a shame. The game was going to be televised too, for a change. It had been a good weekend until about 4pm on Sunday; in fact, the game could have been held any time in the past month or so and conditions would have been ideal.
Talk about bad luck. Is there no room for a reserve day?
Christmas weather
Shows you how consistent these incredible computer-modelled weather maps are. The metvuw.com site still picks a generally warm Christmas Day for Otago.
But there's a bit of extra detail creeping in now as we get closer, which suggests there may be a cool, rainy sou'west change in the evening, which would especially affect coastal places. Let's check in again later today and see if that prediction still stands.
Colin James bowing out
Finally, it's the end of an era for veteran political journalist Colin James, who says goodbye to readers on page 7 of today's ODT.
In his last regular column before retirement, he talks about journalism, what is it to be a journalist and how privileged we are to be doing this job.
Political pundits come and go with the decades, even from election to election. But Colin (73) has been a constant force, with his commentary and analysis spanning 50 years. And we're proud to say he started at the ODT, all those years ago, as a cadet subeditor, and finishes here, too.
Make sure you read his column today. Then, if you're like me, you'll realise how some media outlets need to take note of his words and remember what good, old-fashioned, proper journalism is really about.
Interestingly, so firm is he in the need for disinterested independence as a political commentator, he does not vote.
He has strings of awards, including an honorary doctorate from Victoria University in Wellington.
Hopefully, we may still receive occasional contributions to the Otago Daily Times from Colin next year.