For many of us, our first writing assignment is composing a letter to Santa Claus. Over the years many of us stop, for one reason or another, but it remains a useful exercise.
A good letter to Santa should include the standard attributes of a personal letter, but also include a justification of your behavior in the past year, along with a request. It should be friendly, personal, and immediate. Santa is a secular figure, not a religious one, more tied to Clement Moore and Coca-Cola than any religious tradition. But he is approachable, accessible, and often completing a well-written letter can help rekindle our child-like wonder during the winter celebrations. For an adult, writing a letter to Santa can be a surprisingly emotional experience.
You might ask for the intangible, the “world peace” thing, but I think that the best letters focus on things that Santa or someone less powerful can deliver. It’s good to dream big, but that yellow Tonka truck might be easier to come by than a cure for the common cold. But it’s your letter; ask for what you want.
For today’s assignment, take a few moments and write a letter to Santa.
Here’s my example:
Dear Santa,
I hope I’m not writing too late this year. I know that you are very busy. But I wanted to get my letter to you so you’d know I hadn’t forgotten. It’s been a long time since I’ve written to you, but I still think of you this time of year and enjoy seeing your helpers around town. This year, I get to be one, too, but just for a little while. Your red suit fits a little too well and I need to do something about that.
I’ve been very good this year. I work hard and I think I’m doing good work, too. I think I’ve been better this year than I have in a long time.
You know what I’d really like this year for Christmas? Yes, I need socks and a new sweater, but I’d really love a new remote for the theater. I’m the only one who can operate it now that I can’t program the old one anymore, and I have to sit there with a lap full of remotes. I’d really like one that I could program to do everything and make it easy for the girls or Diane to use, too. But anything you can think of will be fine.
Have a safe trip, Santa. I’ll leave a plate of cookies out for you again this year.
Love,
Randy
There’s still time to get your letter in the mail.
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