Over the weekend, wife Krista and I spent many hours working on the “Letters to Santa” B and C sections that you, hopefully, found tucked inside the printed paper. It is also, of course, part of our e-edition posted on this website.
This year’s 40-page edition is our biggest issue of the year, and we certainly hope that it helps to brighten your Christmas season.
This big paper would not be possible without the many business owners and other advertisers who take this opportunity each year to buy some space for the purpose of thanking the public and wishing you all happy holidays. The Christmas greeting ads anchor this week’s special publication, so please join us in expressing appreciation to those who offer their support.
The meat and potatoes of the 24 pages that comprise the B and C sections are the Santa letters as well as children’s photos that are purchased by parents and others as a part of the Cutest Kids Photo Contest, sponsored by Bank of Commerce.
This year, The Sun-Sentinel received well over 250 children’s letters to Santa — most of them of kindergarten and elementary age.
Some of the letters had to be culled because there was no name, or the handwriting could not be deciphered. It does not matter; the children knew what they were writing, and Santa Claus can read every language and every type of handwriting.
When we type these letters — we get very few via email or other electronic means — we do our best to interpret the words as written, but the writing skills of some of the wee authors allow them to offer little more than scribbled marks on paper, or so it appears to us.
By the way, when we publish children’s letters to Santa, we do not make any attempt to alter spelling or grammar.
Do you know how difficult it is for a writer — an editor, no less — to resist the urge to correct misspelled words? But I digress.
It is often a joy for Krista and me to read these letters, because they clue us in on the hottest toys and best gift ideas of the year. We have three grandchildren, so it helps.
We learned that various brands and models of video gaming consoles remain very popular, as do cellphones, tablets and other such devices.
Fidgets, pop-its, hoverboards, anything Nerf, are also the rage among the hip young set in 2021.
Some of the letters are humorous.
One child wrote, “Dear Santa, Santa is not real. But I want a PS4 from my mom.”
Who does that kid think he’s kidding?
Sometimes, Santa letters express deep emotions that can touch a reader.
After first asking in his letter for numerous gifts from Santa, one of the local children added, “I wut my femle to love me.” Translated: I want my family to love me.
In fact, numerous letter-writers asked for love, for someone to play with or for an absent family member to be present at Christmastime.
One wrote, “I would like my granddad to live to see Christmas. That’s the one gift I really want,” before proceeding to list a few others.
“I wish to never get bully ...” penciled another child.
In addition to other items on her wish list, one youngster noted that she wants “my mom to be healthy and dad and my hole family. ... I hope the whole world be healthy and OK.”
That is a selfless request if ever I heard one, and very apropos for these troubled times in which we live.
The world needs healing.
And although the figure of Santa Claus is an outgrowth of Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century Christian bishop in what is now Turkey who was known for his love of God and people, and for giving gifts to the poor, the jolly, fat guy in the red suit is not a healer. He can bring momentary happiness and spread some smiles, but his magical powers are limited.
The healing that the world needs stems from Bethlehem, where the Son of God, Jesus Christ, was born, and from Golgotha, where Jesus laid down his life for our sins.
Christ is the reason for Christmas, and He offers the greatest gift imaginable — salvation — to anyone who will confess their sins and accept Him through faith.
One of my favorite images of Christmas is that of a painting depicting Santa, adorned in all of his traditional red and white furry garb — with his hat in hand, head bowed and eyes closed — kneeling at the manger of the Christ child.
It’s all about keeping it real, as some of the younger set might say, and keeping everything in the proper perspective.
Enjoy Christmas. Give presents. Admire the twinkling lights. Celebrate Santa.
But love Jesus.
Merry Christmas.
