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The Man Who Accidentally Killed Santa Claus In Arizona At The Height Of The Great Depression
In 1932 Mesa, Arizona, a journalist trying to spread holiday cheer instead nearly ruined the holiday for the community
Most people have probably never heard of newspaper editor John McPhee. A man of ingenuity, he was sometimes tasked with other work besides journalism such as marketing. Unfortunately, it was in that capacity that he accidentally killed Santa Claus in Mesa, Arizona in 1932, simultaneously managing to terrorize nearly all of the town’s young children.
In 1932, the United States was in the midst of the Great Depression. Times were tough for nearly everyone, but time honored traditions like Christmas still carried on, no matter how truncated the celebration had to be. Working for the Mesa Journal-Tribune in Mesa, Arizona, McPhee was tasked with promoting a local Christmas parade on December 16th, which had been devoid of excitement and interest in the recent, difficult years.
At the time, aviation was one of the hottest tickets in the world. People strained to learn and see more of daredevil pilots and their aircrafts that took to the skies in an improbable and daring manner. To drum up excitement for the Christmas parade, McPhee decided to bring…
