A Reversible Santa Claus

In Short

Meredith Nicholson’s 1917 novella A Reversible Santa Claus follows William B. Aikins, alias "The Hopper," an aging ex-convict trying to go straight on a small chicken farm. A momentary relapse into crime on Christmas Eve entangles him with an abandoned baby, a missing roadster, two wealthy grandfathers locked in an obsessive feud over Chinese ceramics, and a spirited young mother who unwittingly hires him to burglarize her own family. Combining lighthearted criminal capers with holiday sentimentalism, the book endures as a charming, warm-hearted farce about redemption, unlikely domesticity, and the absurdities of human greed.

The Story

The tale opens on a snowy Christmas Eve near New Haven, where Billy The Hopper, a former safe-blower now operating Happy Hill Farm with his wife Mary and fellow ex-con Humpy, suffers a crisis of conscience. Earlier that day in New York, he succumbed to old instincts and lifted a red leather bill-book from a subway passenger. Fearing police pursuit, he flees to the countryside, where he finds an idling roadster parked near a lane. Impulsively stealing the car to make his way home, he discovers an unexpected passenger: a cheerful toddler who addresses him as "Bil-lee."

Refusing to abandon the friendly child, whom he dubs "Little Shaver," The Hopper drives the stolen car and baby back to the farm. Mary and Humpy are horrified by the double threat of purse-snatching and kidnapping, but the child’s warm demeanor softens them. Inspecting the boy's locket, they learn his name is Roger Livingston Talbot. Leaving Shaver safely tucked into bed at the farm, The Hopper returns to the neighborhood where he stole the car to investigate the parents' premises and figure out how to restore the boy undetected.

Sneaking into the cottage, he discovers a hamper, Christmas gifts, and a letter written by the child's mother, Muriel, to her husband, Roger. The young couple is happy, but their respective fathers—wealthy neighbors Mr. Talbot and Mr. Wilton—are engaged in a bitter feud over rare Chinese porcelain glazes, specifically a coveted plum-blossom vase. Before The Hopper can escape, Muriel returns home alone, catches him red-handed with a pistol, and surprisingly assumes he is an active burglar. Desperate to force a reconciliation between the two grandfathers, she offers him the combination to her father's safe and instructions on how to breach Mr. Talbot's hidden library vault so he can swap the disputed treasures.

What follows is a flurry of nocturnal misadventures. Entering the Wilton and Talbot estates, The Hopper finds himself secretly witnessing Mr. Wilton breaking into Mr. Talbot’s home to steal the vase himself, leading to a hilarious pajama-clad brawl between the two old men. The Hopper manages to secure both the porcelain treasures and the stolen bill-book—which ironically belonged to the elder Talbot. On Christmas morning, he returns Shaver, the prize ceramics, the bill-book, and a basket of farm chicks to the astonished family. The grandfathers reconcile over the returned treasures, and the young couple rewards the reformed thief. Returning home, The Hopper uses the experience to fully commit to "playing the white card," resolving to quietly repay his past criminal gains.

How It Unfolds

A fall from grace After lifting a red leather bill-book on a crowded subway train, an aging ex-convict named Billy The Hopper flees New York in terror of being tracked down by detectives.

An unexpected passenger Seeking quick transit home to his chicken farm, The Hopper steals a parked roadster, only to discover a cheerful, babbling baby sleeping in the back seat.

Refuge at Happy Hill The Hopper brings the car and the child, whom he names "Little Shaver," back to his farm, where his wife Mary and his nervous accomplice Humpy reluctantly welcome the toddler.

Investigating the scene Leaving the child asleep, The Hopper sneaks back into the parents' cottage, where he reads a letter revealing a bitter family feud between the baby's rival grandfathers.

An unusual bargain Caught in the house by the child's mother, Muriel, The Hopper avoids arrest when she mistakes him for a working burglar and hires him to steal her father's prized Chinese ceramics.

The midnight brawl While attempting the heist at the neighbor's estate, The Hopper watches in amusement as the two elderly grandfathers engage in a physical, pajama-clad wrestling match over their art collection.

Christmas morning restitution The Hopper returns to the young couple's home delivering the baby, the stolen porcelain, and the pocketbook he took in the subway, single-handedly resolving the family feud.

A permanent reformation Moved by the holiday spirit and his adventures, The Hopper decides to use his reward money to begin secretly repaying the thousands of dollars he stole during his past life of crime.

The People

• William B. Aikins ("The Hopper"): A former safe-cracker turned chicken farmer who desperately wants to live an honest life. His lingering reflexes twice lead him into temptation, but his fundamental decency and warm heart push him to protect an innocent child and fix a broken family.
• Mary: The Hopper's pragmatic, fiercely protective wife. She demands that her husband respect the law and keep their household respectable, though her maternal instincts instantly thaw when faced with a helpless child.
• Humpy: A nervous, one-eyed ex-convict who lives and works on the farm. Terrified of returning to prison, he panics easily at the thought of kidnapping charges, yet constantly struggles with his old underworld instincts.
• Muriel Talbot: A brave, clever, and delightfully impractical young mother. She wants nothing more than to end the ridiculous feud between her father and father-in-law, leading her to scheme a harmless burglary to bring them together.
• Mr. Talbot & Mr. Wilton: Two wealthy, stubborn grandfathers whose obsession with collecting rare Chinese pottery has ruined their friendship, driving them to outrageous acts of spite until an ex-con shows them the foolishness of their ways.

In Its Own Voice

"The Hopper's conscience was not altogether at ease, as he had, that afternoon, possessed himself of a bill-book that was protruding from the breast-pocket of a dignified citizen whose strap he had shared in a crowded subway train."

The Hopper reflects ruefully on his sudden lapse in self-control while traveling home on Christmas Eve.

"'Sant' Claus comin'; m'y Kwismus!' 'Jes' listen to Shaver!' chuckled The Hopper. ''Course Santy is comin,' an' we're goin' to hang up Shaver's stockin', ain't we, Shaver?'"

The ex-burglar forgets his fears of arrest to ensure his young hostage experiences holiday magic.

"'They's things wot is an' things wot ain't,' he began. 'We ain't none o' us ever got nowheres bein' crooked.'"

The Hopper synthesizes his homebrewed philosophy of life while convincing his household to walk a straight path.

What It's Really About

Beneath its buoyant holiday plot, A Reversible Santa Claus examines the possibility of genuine personal reformation and the absurdity of human greed. The story contrasts the petty, impulsive crimes of desperate men with the socially acceptable, obsessive greed of the ultra-wealthy. While The Hopper steals out of sudden temptation or survival, the respectable grandfathers lower themselves to violence, deception, and spite over empty clay jars. Nicholson asks what truly constitutes a "crooked" life, showing that moral clarity often resides in those whom society has cast out. The narrative suggests that redemption is not merely a matter of obeying legal statutes, but of actively choosing kindness, domestic responsibility, and honesty toward oneself.

Why Read It Today

Readers seeking a cozy, lighthearted alternative to standard holiday classics will find much to enjoy in this novel. Nicholson writes with a gentle, humorous touch, balancing light crime fiction tropes with heartwarming domestic comedy. The contrast between gritty underworld slang and the cozy routine of a New England chicken farm provides steady amusement throughout.

Modern readers should be prepared for period-specific elements, such as early twentieth-century criminal slang ("dipping," "bulls," "kale"), simplified renditions of baby talk, and a heavy dose of seasonal sentimentality. However, the narrative moves at a brisk, energetic pace, avoiding overly dense descriptions. It feels very much like a early classic screwball comedy on the page. The image of two dignity-obsessed millionaires wrestling on a carpet in their nightwear while a bewildered ex-burglar looks on with philosophical calm is an enduringly funny spectacle that makes this brief novella a festive treat.