Yesterday I wrote letters to children from ‘Santa’. A local organization collects the letters to Santa from the post office and mails replies back to the kids. I was asked to help with a stack of letters. Some of the letters were funny, some were demanding, and one letter stuck out as being very sweet. A girl wrote to Santa to ask that he “be nice to my teachers, because I like them. Even Mrs. Graham, who isn’t very nice. Maybe you could make her nice for Christmas?” The same girl also asked that her new friend, Jeanie, be given especial care, as she had just moved there and she wanted Jean to be happy in the new town. What a sweet letter! She didn’t even ask for anything specific for herself.

Another girl asked for “a microphone, guitar and drumset, please. Also, a globe so I can find where my cousin lives”. I hope she starts an awesome band.

I liked coming up with fun things to write back to the kids; most of them asked how the reindeer fly, and if Santa had eaten enough cookies and hot cocoa. One girl asked if Santa was well-rested, and if Mrs. Claus ever yelled at him. A boy asked if Santa could tell him exactly how many elves he had, and “Do you like playing Nintendo Wii? I have been good, so please send me a Wii because I’ve never had one for Christmas before.”

I can’t wait until our kid is old enough to start writing letters to Santa. I am going to make someone I know write replies back to him/her every year.