An Illustrated History of the Wish That Never Goes Away: All I Want For Christmas is a Horse

An illustrated history of the wish that never goes away.What happens when a pony-mad child grows up, but the wish refuses to grow up with her?All I Want for Christmas Is a Horse follows one horse-mad heart from its earliest toddler longing into adulthood, when there is still no land, no spare money, and an alarming number of horse-sale advertisements open after midnight.Written with the warmth and storytelling pace of fiction, this richly illustrated and carefully researched cultural history explores the Christmas wish that generations of children have written, whispered, and stubbornly refused to abandon.Beginning with Victorian Christmas cards and pleading letters to Santa, Harriet Wintermere follows the dream through rocking horses, toy stables, beloved pony books, plastic ponies, mail-order catalogues, and muddy Saturday-morning riding lessons.Along the way, readers will meet: Funny, affectionate, and beautifully observed, this is more than a history of horse toys, pony stories, and equestrian childhood. It explores why horses hold such a powerful place in the imagination, why the desire for one can survive practicality, expense, and age, and what that enduring wish reveals about freedom, responsibility, companionship, and the person a child hopes to become.Perfect for horse lovers, lifelong horse girls, equestrians, nostalgic readers, and anyone searching for a distinctive Christmas gift for a pony-mad friend.Some wishes come true. The remarkable ones survive it.