Questions for Santa 10/29/06

[Elf Ernest]

Hi everyone!

In advance of Santa's visit later today I have gathered some of the questions that have come in by email recently. Hopefully Santa will find time to answer them today:

1. Does Mrs.Claus cook cookies for you?
I will give you a present and ill give you cocacola!!
Can i have your picture and rudolf?
why are you jolly?
Am i on the good list or bad list?
from:tristan!
Merry christmas!!!!
hohoh!! I want to see you.

2. Hello!!!Santa,I love Christmas and I realy love Gingerbread men.I hope to get one for Christmas.Love, Sara

3. dear santa a girl pushed me in the hall today what should i do? (Jordan)

4. (Darren) Three questions actually:

Why buy presents, isnt it just teh consumer society trying to weasel money out of us?

What was the REAL original colour of your costume?

Why does it never snow here these days?

5. Hello Santa.
How are you doing?
We think you are real but some of my friends don't. What should I do to help them believe in you? Thanks much! J and M

6. Hi Santa,

I need your advice. What do you do when your friend does not belive in you? Thanks. (Ethan)

7. What do you do when one of your reindeer are in shock after somthing teribble that happend because my rat reepacheep di that a couple nights ago and I hope she lives for CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!! ya I know. but she is doing fine she has been sleeping alot but i hope you will write back and give me some addvice thanks bye.
love,
lauren!!!!!!!!!!!

8. What do Mrs.Clause's cookies taste like? (Taylor)

9. I just wanted santa to know I would like a gameboy for christmas. I promise to be really good. bye santa (Josh)

10. Dear Santa, Do you give kids pet? I really really would like a rabbit.
(John)

Thanks for all your letters!

Elf Ernest

[Ervserver]

I'm looking forward to reading the replies

[Elf Ed Zachary]

Not to be outdone by my associate, Elf Ernest -- who seems to get all the letters signed with smilies and S.W.A.K. stamped on them -- here are questions from Santa's mailbag that found their way to my desk:

1. Dear Santa, you again?!! (Melanie)

2. Yo, Fat Boy. 'sup dude?

3. You're not real. Mommy said so. (Colter)

4. Christmas is dumb and so are you. (Maximus)

5. I use to believe in you. But now I dont think you are real. (cindy)

6. We go to a new church now. We can't believe in you any more. The church man says you are evil. Are you Santa? (Keri)

Believe it or not, these are genuine questions thrown the Big Guy's way. I'm glad he's answering them and that I don't have to take care of these ungrateful loons.

[Santa]

Hi and Merry Christmas everyone!

I'm so excited for Halloween this week. Mrs. Claus and I have some spectacular costumes planned for the North Pole Halloween Party.

Ok, on to the questions -- Tristan! -- you're up first:

Does Mrs.Claus cook cookies for you?
I will give you a present and ill give you cocacola!!
Can i have your picture and rudolf?
why are you jolly?
Am i on the good list or bad list?

WOW, you're full of questions Tristan! But before we start, I have one for you-- have you been a good little boy this year? I'll bet you have!

Yes, Mrs. Claus makes her delicious cookies for me almost every day. But I don't eat just sugar cookies. She makes a delicate almond-pecan that finishes off any meal just great.

I get a present and a coke? Thanks!!!

You want a picture of me and Rudolph. Ok, once I figure out this fancy digital camera thing that Mrs. Claus gave me I'll email one to you.

Why am I jolly? Goodness. Why be anything else? There's nothing worse than a pickle sucker, Tristan.

And you're definitely on my good list!

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>Hello!!!Santa,I love Christmas and I realy love Gingerbread men.I hope to get one for Christmas.Love, Sara

Hi Sara!

Really? A gingerbread man? What a great idea! But wouldn't you really like to MAKE one rather than have me bring one? I'll do my best.

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>dear santa a girl pushed me in the hall today what should i do?

Hi Jordan,

Why did she do that? Did you do something to provoke her? Goodness, that doesn't sound like something you should do.

My advice is to say something nice to her -- "You look nice today!" or "You smell like pine cones!" (Mrs. Claus loves it when I say that to her) -- something nice will always help something naughty turn around.

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>Why buy presents, isnt it just teh consumer society trying to weasel money out of us? What was the REAL original colour of your costume?
Why does it never snow here these days?

Wow, Darren. You're getting a bit cynical in your old age, aren't you?

Nobody ever asked you to buy presents. In fact, it's not in the Code of Christmas anywhere. And that's because true Christmas celebration doesn't come from the wallet. It comes from the heart. So nobody ever has to buy anything at Christmas. A gift can be as small as a smile, a warm thought or a good deed. In fact, those are bigger gifts than anything you could ever buy.

As for my original costume...it was white. At least that is what my mother tells me. She dressed me in a white dress, which is what all babies back in those days wore.

Snow? Hey, it's October, Darren. You'll get your snow.

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>How are you doing? We think you are real but some of my friends don't. What should I do to help them believe in you? Thanks much! J and M

Hi J and M! Merry Christmas to you both. You're sweet girls and I'm thankful you still believe in me.

It is a tough thing, especially when you still believe, to get your friends to believe too. But what's nice about Christmas is that you don't necessarily have to believe much to celebrate it. As long as they are nice and giving to you and others I don't think you should worry about their belief in me. I'm not Christmas. I'm ok with folks who don't believe in me-- just as long as they keep the spirit of Christmas in their lives.

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>I need your advice. What do you do when your friend does not belive in you? Thanks.

Merry Christmas, Ethan!

Don't worry for your friends. Goodness, I know how much you love Christmas and I think your friends still love it too. For some your age, belief in Santa seems a little silly. I feel sorry for them but if that is the way they want it I say let it be.

What you need to do is remind them of what Christmas is all about by being like Santa Claus as much as possible. Now, that doesn't mean you need to grow a beard or parade about in a red suit. And certainly never try to fly a reindeer without professional supervision. But you can be jolly, give anonymously and share your Christmas spirit as much as you can.

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>What do you do when one of your reindeer are in shock after somthing teribble that happend because my rat reepacheep di that a couple nights ago and I hope she lives for CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!! ya I know. but she is doing fine she has been sleeping alot but i hope you will write back and give me some addvice thanks bye.
love,
lauren!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Lauren, Merry Christmas!

The best medicine is love. I'll bet Reepacheep is feeling better now. You should stroke her head and tell her how much you love her. And by all means, do what the vet and your Mom and Dad tell you to do. I don't know much about rats. Their tails remind me a little of the new chewy vanilla candy canes that were tested in the kitchen over the summer. They tasted good but they didn't look so hot so I asked them not to send them out for Christmas this year.

What happened? I hope nothing really bad happened to actually hurt Reepacheep. That would be terrible. I remember once when poor Vixen got caught too long in the desert sun of Saudi Arabia. We were installing a weather antenna and I didn't want to take her in the first place but Donner was on vacation and Mrs. Rudolph was "great with child" and Vixen just insisted she was up for it. The poor thing. We had to fly in some water to help her get home. She rode next to me on the sleigh.

But she got over it. And I hope Reepacheep did too.

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>What do Mrs.Clause's cookies taste like?

Merry Christmas, Taylor! Have you been good this year?

Mrs. Claus' cookies are heaven on earth. Oh, she uses real butter and the finest cane sugar and real vanilla. Just like most people do. But she mixes in an extra helping of love -- that's the most important ingredient.

She puts it in everything. Even broccoli.

Without it I just couldn't stomach some things.

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>I just wanted santa to know I would like a gameboy for christmas. I promise to be really good. bye santa

Joshie? Little Joshie?!! Merry Christmas, buddy!

Now what is a three-year-old like you going to do with a game boy? I figured that was still a few years away for you. I'm thinking maybe that big brother of yours is influencing you. Hmmm. We'll see.

In the meantime, I'm thinking a nice big dump truck that you can play in the dirt with would be in line with the things I know you like to do, Joshie.

Anyway, I'll sleep on it. We still have plenty of time to figure this out. I'm guessing you might change your mind a few times between now and Christmas. Better write me again, ok?

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>Dear Santa, Do you give kids pet? I really really would like a rabbit.

Hi John! Merry Christmas!

Of course I give pets to kids. Kids are sometimes the best people to take care of animals. I would never give a pet someone who could not give love and care for any creature.

But I'm careful. Some kids say they want a pet but they have no idea the responsibility that comes with them. Many times I have given a pet only to take it back to the North Pole a few days after Christmas. I won't stand to have any animal neglected or taken care of improperly.

This is a big decision. I think you should talk it over with your folks before we decide we do this. I have lots of rabbits and I'm thinking of one right now that would be perfect for you. He's shy but he has a great sense of humor. He'd be perfect for you...if you're ready.

Let's make a deal: you spend the next month or so learning everything there is to know about rabbits. I want you to talk to a vet about how to care for one. I want you to study this completely. If, after a month you still want one, then ask your mom to send me a note with her feelings on the matter and we'll see what happens come Christmas.

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>Dear Santa, you again?!!

Hi Melanie, Merry Christmas!

Are you even going to hang your stocking this year? My goodness, you've had a rough year. Think you can get it together before Christmas Eve.

I believe in you, Mel. You can do it. You're a good girl at heart. I hope to visit you this year.

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>Yo, Fat Boy. 'sup dude?

Hmmm.

You may address me as "Santa" or "Mr. Claus". Respect your elders, young man.

And the word "up" is a word indicating direction. Why do you ask?

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>You're not real. Mommy said so.

Hi Colter, Merry Christmas to you!

Well, always do as Mommy says. If she says I'm not real, then let's pretend to be someone else.

love,
The Easter Bunny

[Santa]

>>Christmas is dumb and so are you.

Hi Maximus, Merry Christmas!

You're still upset about that Barbie/GI Joe mix-up aren't you?

I said I was SORRY about that. Maybe if your Mom cut your hair more.

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>I use to believe in you. But now I dont think you are real.

Hi Cindy, Merry Christmas!

Elf Ed Zachary shared the rest of your letter with me. I don't think this is how you really feel. But if you want to test it out, just hang your stocking this year and see what happens.

And be nice to everyone. You can do it.

love,
Santa

[Santa]

>>We go to a new church now. We can't believe in you any more. The church man says you are evil. Are you Santa?

Wow, Keri. Merry Christmas!

Can I say that?

Look, the matters of religion are complex. But I firmly believe every person has a right to believe what they want to believe. I hope your new church brings you much happiness.

I'm not a bad person. I'm not evil. I just want to wish the world a Merry Christmas. I really hope you enjoy the season, Keri. Best of luck to you.

love,
Santa