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First published in 1904, ‘A Kidnapped Santa Claus’ by L. Frank Baum is a festive short story from the prolific Oz author. Contentedly living in his castle in Laughing Valley, Santa has become a source of envy for a group of Daemons living nearby; Selfishness; Envy; Hatred; Malice; and the confused Daemon of Repentance. The Daemons try to lure Santa into taking part in their wicked ways, but Santa is too good to be tempted or tricked. When this fails, the Daemons hatch a dastardly plot to kidnap Santa Claus instead. Santa’s friends must hurry to find him, whilst also completing Santa’s mission to deliver everyone’s gifts and save Christmas.

Lyman Frank Baum (1856 – 1919) was a prolific and well-known American writer. He is best known for his famous series of modern fairy tales set in the imaginary land of Oz. The first of the books, ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ is widely considered to be the first true American fairy tale and was the basis for the hugely popular 1939 classic musical ‘The Wizard of Oz’ starring Judy Garland. Born and raised in New York, Baum held a range of jobs including as a poultry farmer, clerk, and storekeeper before pursuing his talent for writing at the age of 41. He wrote 14 novels in the Oz series, as well as over 40 other novels and over 80 short stories. He died in California in 1919.