Alias Santa Claus

In Short

This one-act play is a sentimental morality tale centered on the transformative power of generosity. When two young delinquents break into a wealthy home to kidnap the son of a distant, workaholic banker, they find the boy so starved for human connection that he gives away his prized possessions to them and their impoverished siblings. The play has endured as a classic piece of amateur theater, capturing a timeless, if idealized, Christmas spirit where kindness bridges the vast divide between the "haves" and the "have-nots."

The Story

The setting is the sterile, opulent nursery of David Millman, Jr., a seven-year-old boy who possesses every imaginable toy but lacks the presence of his grieving, work-obsessed father. On Christmas morning, two neighborhood boys, Bill and Slim, break in wearing masks. They intend to kidnap David for ransom, having drugged the room's celebratory chocolates. However, they are quickly followed by Bill’s eight younger, rag-tag siblings, who have tracked their brother in search of the Christmas tree they were promised but never received.

When David finds the intruders, he is so innocent and eager for companionship that he mistakes Bill for the real Santa Claus. He is delighted by the arrival of the children, and when he learns that Bill’s family is being evicted and faces a cold, hungry night, he begins distributing his expensive gifts—sleds, a bicycle, and boxing gloves—to the children. The intruders are stunned; they came to steal, but they find themselves receiving the boy’s entire bounty.

The boy's father, David Millman, Sr., eventually enters the room. He reveals he has been listening at the door, having heard the entire exchange. Struck by his son’s capacity for love and the boy’s blunt truths about his own neglect, Millman undergoes an immediate change of heart. He acknowledges that he has hidden behind his work to cope with the loss of his wife. Instead of calling the police, he commands his guard to treat the intruders as gentlemen. He sends them home in his limousine, provides them with financial support, and finally invites his son to sit on his lap. The play concludes with the father and son standing together, listening to the joyful, chaotic sounds of the children playing with the toys downstairs, as they begin to bridge their own emotional distance.

How It Unfolds

The silent entry Two masked boys, Bill and Slim, break through a window into the Millman nursery. Their clumsy, fearful movements establish the contrast between their desperation and the overwhelming luxury of the room.

A portrait of privilege David, Jr. enters, followed by his nurse and bodyguard. Their interaction highlights the boy’s profound loneliness, showing that he is physically surrounded by wealth but kept at a distance from any real joy.

The unexpected guests Bill’s eight siblings pour into the room, turning the tense kidnapping attempt into a chaotic, noisy celebration. Their arrival forces the tension to shift from a crime story to a confrontation between two vastly different worlds.

The grand gesture David, Jr. begins handing out his toys to the hungry children, completely unaware of the criminal intentions of the "Santa Claus" he is befriending. This act of grace completely disarms the intruders, who are unable to follow through with the kidnapping.

The father’s awakening Mr. Millman reveals his presence and his regret. He rejects the impulse to punish, choosing instead to provide for the needy family, signaling his commitment to being a present father.

The People

David Millman, Jr. is the heart of the play. A "winsome, appealing boy" of seven, he is the heir to a fortune but is treated like a delicate museum piece. He craves his father’s time above all else. By the end, his radical kindness forces those around him to be better versions of themselves.

Bill is a fourteen-year-old "juvenile delinquent" forced into the role of provider for his eight siblings. He is a mix of "villainous and pathetic," struggling with a cold and a conscience. His transformation from a desperate kidnapper to a humbled recipient of grace is the central pivot of the drama.

David Millman, Sr. is a man defined by his watch and his "important cablegrams." He is wealthy and efficient, but his cold exterior masks the deep, unresolved grief of a widower. He ends the play having finally "woken up" to his son’s needs.

Slim serves as the skeptical, "hard-boiled" foil to Bill. He is the voice of the criminal world, constantly urging Bill to stick to the plan. He remains the most cynical character, unable to fully shed his suspicion even when the situation resolves peacefully.

In Its Own Voice

"Being an only child of a widowed father, and being heir to a string of banks, and at least one railroad, and half a dozen mansions in town and country, he is not permitted to do such things." The narrator introduces David Millman, Jr., explaining the stifling nature of his privileged existence.

"He was nice to de kids—see? He give ’em all his presents. He didn’t hold out none fer himself." Bill explains to the father why he abandoned the kidnapping, identifying the boy’s selfless character.

"I’m not so busy as you think, Davy. Sometimes, when a man’s lonely—when he misses somebody who’s gone terribly, terribly much—he tries to make himself busy." Mr. Millman finally opens up to his son, admitting that his workaholic habits were a mask for his own grief.

What It's Really About

The play explores the hollow nature of material wealth when it is untethered from human affection. It posits that children—whether wealthy or poor—are essentially the same, desiring warmth, play, and belonging over objects. The central argument is that the "crimes" of the poor are often born of necessity and neglect, while the "crimes" of the rich—such as emotional abandonment—are often more damaging. The play suggests that the solution to these social and personal divides is not punishment or rigid order, but the simple, spontaneous act of treating others as "human," which can trigger a cascade of mercy that reconciles estranged families.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the sentimental, moralistic tone of early 20th-century drama will find this a charming, if didactic, experience. It feels like a time capsule of post-WWI social conscience, where the "deserving poor" and the "burdened rich" are brought together by the magic of Christmas. Modern readers should be prepared for the heavy use of 1920s-era "tough" street dialect in the dialogue of the siblings, which can be challenging to navigate but adds a specific, gritty texture to the play’s world.

The primary appeal lies in the rapid emotional shifts of the final act. While the resolution may strike some as overly tidy or moralistic, there is an enduring, warm satisfaction in seeing a neglected child finally win his father’s attention through his own inherent goodness. It is a quick, earnest read that leaves the reader thinking about how much of our own "busyness" is merely a way to avoid looking at the people standing right in front of us. It remains a poignant reminder that the most significant gifts are not the ones found under the tree, but the connections we make when we finally stop rushing.