Sereno presents a descriptive paper on the Santa Claus myth and certain Christmas practices as observed in an urban-rural district of the Illinois River Valley. From this he makes certain justified generalizations about children being involved in this custom against their will and of adults being involved because of their own unresolved anxieties. He discusses the nature of gifts and the unreasonable and forced pledge of good behavior as a result of gifts as a natural wellspring of hostility. Implied is the basic honesty of the child, and the hypocrisy, deceit and hostility of the adult to which the child is forced to bend. While the article is primarily descriptive, Sereno eases the reader into thoughts of the psychology behind it all. Unfortunately, and to the discomfort of the reader, much of Sereno's interesting research and remarks