My eight-year-old wrote the following letter to Santa. While she waited for a response, she quite accidentally discovered a present with her name on it from Santa, the day BEFORE Christmas. Oops! Thankfully, Santa (who had brought her a camera) explained the mix-up.
Dear Santa,
How are you? Can you please answer the questions below?
1. How old are you?
2. Do you love Christmas?
3. Was I good or bad?
I think that’s all and here are some things I want to tell you. I’m learning a song about you. And I don’t know if we are going to set up Christmas decorations and I want to ask you some more questions.
4. What time will you come?
5. How many presents will you give me?
6. Are you going to look into my room because if you do, do you like my bird’s nest?
7. How much candy will you give me?
8. Are you giving my friend Avi coal in her stocking because she doesn’t believe in you?
9. It is true that even if people don’t believe in you that you give them gum because you still want them to believe?
10. Is it true that if children have been naughty that you give them presents?
Well, I think that’s it. I hope you don’t get really tired by reading this letter, and writing back. I believe in you and also I know that on Christmas Eve you deliver letters and I wish that you would come sooner.
Goodbye,
from Liana
~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 24, 2011
Dear Liana,
Sorry I didn’t get this letter to you sooner. It has been very busy at the North Pole so I barely had a chance to write back before I took off to deliver presents. Usually, my elves help me write my letters, but I wanted to answer your letter personally this year to explain about the present I dropped off at your house a couple days before Christmas. I put it somewhere your parents would be sure to see it so they could peek inside and maybe let you use it for your Christmas Eve celebration. (Hopefully they weren’t too busy to see it. 🙂
Here are the answers to the questions you asked:
1. I am 166 years old, but because of the magic that exists at the North Pole, I have the health of someone who is 50. My wife keeps me exercising during the year but for some reason I still have a big stomach. I eat a lot of cookies. My hands shake a bit, but I am doing really well besides that, especially for being this old.
2. Yes, I LOVE Christmas. I am so grateful to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, and that’s why I give presents to all the good children in the world. The wonderful presents He gave them of His life and atonement are far more important than what I could ever give, but I like to do my part.
3. Well, no one can be good every minute, but for the most part you were a good, helpful, and honest child. Being honest is very important to me and I always give extra points to children who tell the truth. I am so glad you were good and honest this year. Not all children are, you know. I can tell you have been trying very hard to be a good help to your mother. You are a lucky girl to have a little sister, and I know you are so happy about her coming into your family. I also know it’s a little hard sometimes, but you are very kind and loving toward her. I am proud of you for that (and that’s the real reason I delivered one of your presents early).
4. I visit houses only when the children are asleep. Usually I plan to come about three or four in the morning, but some houses I can visit earlier because I know the children are already asleep. So somewhere between midnight and four, I will come to your house.
5. I usually give good boys and girls one or two presents plus what is in their stockings.
6. I’m sorry. I probably won’t get a chance to look in your room because I have so many houses to visit. But I bet it looks a lot like the bird’s nest Rudolf found in the attic of the reindeer house. I like that one a lot.
7. Ho, ho, ho. By the time you receive this letter, you will already see how much candy!
8. Avi only pretends not to believe in me. She tries to make you and her brothers think she is cool by not believing, but inside she still believes. She has mostly been a good girl this year so I will bring her some candy for her stocking.
9. Sometimes I do put gum in unbelieving children’s stockings. But not always. It depends if they are good, kind, and honest. Sometimes when kids don’t believe, I will try for a few years to help the understand the true meaning of Christmas and what it means to be Santa Clause. So I’ll give them presents and candy. But only if they have done good things.
10. If children are mostly bad and misbehaving and rude, I don’t bring them presents. But often their parents will still buy them presents.
Well, that was the end of your questions. That’s cool about the song that you learned about me. I hope you liked it. And no, I did not get tired reading your letter. I love your letters. I always read all the letters from children and I write back (or I tell my elves what to say because sometimes my hands get shaky). I am glad you believe in me, but mostly I am glad that you are helping your mother and saying your prayers and going to church to learn about Jesus, who is the most important thing about Christmas and all year long.
I love you. Merry Christmas!
Love, Santa Clause