As the tradition continues, small boys and girls sit down with paper and pencil, or crayon, and write to Santa, telling him how well they have behaved during the year, listing the nice things they have done, and why they deserve to be presented with the goods they seek. This letter is called a "letter to Santa," and it can include drawings, too.
The first written account of Santa Claus was made in 1757 by Samuel Johnson, who described him as a jolly old elf who travels around the world in a single night delivering gifts. Ever since then, people have been writing letters to Santa to tell him what they want for Christmas. It is even possible to send your letter stamped with a postage stamp!
In America, the practice began in 1823 when John H. Hibben published an article entitled "Santa Claus: A Myth?" In this article, he said that many Native Americans in the American West believed in a figure called "Kwanzaa," which is translated from the original Zulu as "the moon." He also mentioned Santa Claus among other myths such as Jesus Christ and Elvis Presley.
The next year, Hibben published another article titled "More About Santa Claus" in which he said that children believe in Santa because their parents force them to. This idea spread, and by the 1920s, it was common for children to write letters to Santa instead of cookies.
Children are encouraged to visit Santa's chair and ask him for anything they desire, or to submit letters to Santa each year expressing their Christmas wishes. Santa wishes for youngsters to approach him. He also wants parents to know that cell phones should be turned off so they don't affect his ability to communicate with families.
Santa has been visiting with kids for over 70 years now, and he still enjoys talking with young readers about what matters most to them during the holiday season. In fact, he loves talking with kids of all ages about what's important in their lives. And he especially likes answering questions about Christmas.
He tells us about movies, music, and other topics too. Every year he reads letters from children who have asked questions about things like how snow is made, or what it means when someone gives you a gift on Christmas day. He also gets to read letters asking for things such as new bikes, video games, or whatever else kids might want this year.
Santa's wife, Mrs. Claus, makes sure there are toys for every kid at the mall. She works with her husband to make sure every child feels welcome at the North Pole this time of year.
In addition to reading letters, Santa also makes some new friends every year.
Santa Claus is regarded as the one who distributes presents to youngsters in many countries. Children frequently write to Santa, requesting gifts, which elves help him produce in his North Pole offices, according to legend. The presents are then delivered by reindeer-drawn sleigh during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Children also make gifts for Santa themselves. These can be simple things like cookies or carrots that he may put in his sack, but sometimes they are more extravagant, such as an entire tree with all its branches and leaves.
The practice of giving gifts on Christmas Eve has been adopted in some countries where December 24 is celebrated as a holiday. In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, for example, families exchange gifts at midnight on Christmases when there are no other religious or commercial activities taking place. This custom began in earnest in the 16th century when German merchants would travel to Italy to buy spices and other goods that were not available in Europe elsewhere. Upon their return, they would give something to everyone in their family each night at Christmas time - including servants and slaves. The gift might be given in secret through the door of the house or even left under the Christmas tree! Of all the servants, only the master of the house was allowed to open his present from his master.
The idea is to move youngsters from receiving gifts from Santa to "being" Santa. "In this sense, the Santa construct is not a found deception, but rather an expanding succession of good actions and Christmas enthusiasm," the parent's article reads.
The Santa Claus Board has more than 9,000 volunteers across six continents who work with thousands of children each year by playing Santa Claus at holiday parties, school events, and community gatherings.
Kids can be any age as long as they understand that "Santa" is a nickname for someone who brings them gifts in December. But most children are between the ages of 3 and 10 when they meet Santa first-hand at a holiday party or event.
Parents send letters to Santa asking for items to give to their kids. These can be anything from requests for toys to food items to personal items like music players or phones. Kids then create handmade cards telling Santa what they would like for Christmas. The parents send these cards along with the requested items to help Santa keep track of who has been nice this year.
Children also have the opportunity to write their own letters to Santa. They are asked to think about what they want for Christmas and what things they have done this year that make them deserving of some gift material. Then they use the Letters to Santa page to write their messages directly on the website.
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