Dear Readers,
My goodness, what a year we have had! Here we are though, less than a month away from Christmas 2021! The Elves are working very hard as this year's Christmas list is not the same as in many years gone by. We are seeing more family gifts being requested, more opportunities for gifts of love. This is an exciting time as it reminds everyone of the importance of our faith, our family, and our friends. Christmas truly has a magic all of its own, doesn't it? There is always a sparkle of joy to be unwrapped in places we may not have considered before. I hope all of you will search every day for your own joy.
As I start my column for this year, I hope to hear from many of you. I love getting emails from children that have not written before and I so look forward to and enjoy hearing from many of you every year. When Santa visits each home on Christmas Eve, he updates me on so many of you that I haven't had the opportunity to chat with during my visits over the Christmas Season. He usually gives me a full report as we exchange our Christmas gifts.
As the elves opened my email for this season, we found a few questions there already. I thought I would share one with you just to get you started.
Robert wrote: Since you are in the North Pole, does that mean you are Canadian?
I replied: No, I am not Canadian (though your deductive reasoning is flawless). I am from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States and Santa is from Patara, a town in the country of Turkey. The elves are natives of the North Pole and have lived in their villages for many, many years. They watched carefully for the right Santa to be born (Santa was born one thousand seven hundred and fifty-one years ago) and when the time was right, they came to talk to him and bring him to the North Pole. Santa lived many years there with the elves making toys and delivering them. When I was a young woman, Santa was visiting our town and saw me with my parents in a shop. He looked at me, I looked at him and we fell in love, instantly. It was a hard decision for me to leave my family and marry Santa because I would live so far away from everything I knew, but I love my husband so much that I knew that I made the right choice! So, Robert, this is how two people, one from the Country of Turkey another from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States, ended up at the North Pole!
If I missed you at the Winnemucca Host Lions Club Festival of Trees, you could watch me read stories on the Humboldt County Library Facebook Page and you can hear me on Buckeroo Radio at various times over the Christmas Season. I will be answering questions and emailing you back at my email : askmrsclaus@gmail.com. I receive letters from all over the world, so please be patient if it takes me a few days to answer, I try to answer everyone!
Santa and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas filled with love, compassion, and hope.
With Christmas Hugs,
Mrs. Claus
