More than a million letters from Canadian children make their merry way to Santa‘s H0H 0H0 postal code in a normal year, but this December, their fate was a lot more uncertain when a postal strike cut off delivery across Canada – and to the North Pole – for about a month.
Employees were ordered back to work eight days before Christmas, leaving little time for Canada Post to deliver the backlog of Santa letters. But with one week to go until the big day, the postal service said it would deliver Santa letters – always “handled with special care” – if they were mailed by Dec. 23 in time. “Although Santa won’t have time to respond to letters received through the mail this year, we want to let children know that their letters will make it to him by Christmas Eve,” Canada Post said in a Dec. 18 statement. “Santa is looking forward to reading all the letters he receives.”
Before it was clear whether any letters would make it to jolly old Saint Nick by Christmas, The Globe’s North Pole bureau partnered with the post office in Santa’s Village to help deliver the notes and give parents a way to get their children a response from the man in red himself. Here are a few of their letters, sure to warm naughty and nice hearts alike.
Aiden and Anderson Fung Burnett, Ottawa
Nothing like a little sibling rivalry during the holiday season. Five-year-old Aiden had kind words and a colourful drawing for Santa this year, but his older brother Anderson, 9, used his own letter to try to set the record straight. “Aiden was very bad this year! Anderson was very good this year,” he wrote, without providing evidence. But we know there are at least two sides to every story, so it’s up to Santa to decide.
Carson, Logan and Taylor Amey, London, Ont.
How many elves does Santa have? Has Santa ever failed to deliver all the presents in one night? And were the reindeer already magical when Santa got them? Eight-year-old Carson, 10-year-old Logan, and their older sister Taylor, 12, all had hard-hitting questions for Santa, which are giving The Globe’s North Pole bureau a run for its money.
Adrienne and Théa Micklash, Winnipeg
Sisters Théa, 8, and Adrienne, 11, each wrote organized, colour-coded lists for Santa, but Adrienne made it clear he definitely does not have to buy her everything on her “very long list!” (emphasis hers).
Brodie and Spencer Stevenson, Brantford, Ont.
Letters from three-year-old Brodie and his older brother Spencer, 9, were a reminder the holidays can bring up difficult feelings for kids as well as adults. It is their family’s first Christmas since their “rockstar” father, Drew Stevenson, died of cancer in August, but they say they are both excited to celebrate, and Spencer offered Santa assurances of milk and cookies waiting on Christmas Eve. Brodie had a little writing help from his mother, Amy Stevenson, but it’s clear he only wants to find one thing under the tree this year: a yellow bell pepper.
Hugo and Tate Brown, Vancouver
Brothers Hugo, 7, and Tate, 10, both gave Santa some visual cues to help make sure he brings them the right presents. Though Tate assured Santa that if he can’t find the real LEGO Dungeons & Dragons set, “the fake one’s fine.”
Riley McConnell, Ilderton, Ont.
Unloading the dishwasher and helping make her own lunch have made seven-year-old Riley a good girl this year, she wrote to Santa. If you needed further proof, she was also the only child our bureau saw who asked Santa what he wanted for Christmas (no answer yet from Kris Kringle).
