Come and get a letter from santa here...

A letter from Santa to me is still one of my most treasured memories. It truly was a magical experience.

When I was a child, it was customary to write a letter to Santa. You asked him for the gifts you would like to receive and told him in great detail how good you had been throughout the year and thus thoroughly deserving of your wishes being granted. The santa letter was then "posted" in the fireplace and you carefully watched as it floated up the chimney to be collected by Santa. If you were unlucky enough to have your letter burst into flames before it went up the chimney, you had to write it out again.

One night, just before Xmas, and after I had "posted " my letter to Santa, there was a knock at our front door and there stood our next door neighbour. "This is for you", he said, handing me a letter, "it came to the wrong address", with that remark he left.

"Who could have written a letter to me?" "Open it and see" replied my mother.

As I started to read, my little eyes lit up and I shouted excitedly "it's from Santa." I knew it was real, because Santa mentioned the presents I had asked for in my letter to him, and he congratulated me on having been good for a whole year. That letter was my most treasure possession for many years to come, and when ever any of my friends doubted the presence of Santa I proudly showed them my father Christmas letter.

Sadly, with the event of central heating, not to mention Health and Safety, this Christmas tradition has almost died out. The thing about this ritual was that you didn't expect a letter back from Santa, you were told he was too busy making toys for all the little boys and girls.

The joy and magic of my experience were such, that I made sure that all my children, and later, my grandchildren, received their own letters from Santa. Over the years I watched each one open their own letter from Santa, and the expression on their face as they read it, will always stay with me as a treasured memory.

This is one experience I can highly recommend to all. So if you have children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces or just some child you know who would like a little bit of magic in their lives; then have a word with Santa and get him to write a letter to your little loved ones.