Mrs. Claus

Nadia from Jakarta, Indonesia Wants to Know the Purpose of Christmas Dear Santa, My name is Nadia and I am eleven years old. I live in Jakarta, Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world by population, which my teacher told us with what I think was pride. My family is Muslim. We do not celebrate Christmas, but my apartment building has a Christmas tree in the lobby every December because some of our neighbours are Christian, and my best friend Clara is Catholic and her family invited me to see their nativity scene last year, which was beautiful and which I had many questions about. I have several questions for you. What is the actual purpose of Christmas? Why is Indonesia made of so many islands and how many are there really? Why do some countries have one main religion and others have many? Thank you. Nadia Putri Wijaya Jakarta, Indonesia Dear Nadia, A Muslim girl in Jakarta who went to see her Catholic friend's nativity scene and came away with genuine questio...

  What Does Santa Claus Eat for Breakfast? What does Santa Claus eat for breakfast? Most children picture him devouring a mountain of cookies the moment he wakes up, but the reality is far more sensible. While Santa is famous for the cookies and milk left out on Christmas Eve, those are a once-a-year treat. The rest of the year, the breakfast that fuels the North Pole is steady, warm, and surprisingly ordinary, because Santa knows that what you eat in the morning shapes how well you work all day. A warm and balanced start to the day The North Pole kitchen leans heavily on hot porridge, fresh and dried fruit, hearty bread, and plenty of water. In a place where the temperature stays well below freezing, a warm breakfast is not a luxury but a necessity. Hot food helps the body hold its core temperature, and slow-burning grains like oats release energy gradually rather than all at once. That steady energy is exactly what Santa needs for long mornings of planning and workshop oversight....

The Real Spirit of Christmas Ho ho ho! Well now, my friends, we've come to the end of our story. And what a story it's been! We've traveled a long way together, haven't we? We met young Mary, brave enough to say yes. We met faithful Joseph, who simply did the right thing, again and again. We walked the long road to Bethlehem, knocked on every full door in town, and found shelter at last in a humble stable. We watched a baby laid in a manger. We stood with the shepherds as the sky lit up with angels. We followed a star across the world with the wise men, and we watched a jealous king's schemes come to nothing. We fled to Egypt and came home to Nazareth. And we learned that beautiful name, Emmanuel — God with us. So now let old Santa ask you the big question. After all of that, what is the real spirit of Christmas? It isn't the wrapping paper, my friends, lovely as it is. It isn't the tinsel or the twinkling lights, much as I adore them. It isn't even, if ...

Santa Explains How The Wise Men Began Their Journey Ho ho ho! So that magnificent star was blazing away in the eastern sky — and far across the world, those wise scholars I told you about made a rather bold decision. They were going to follow it. Now think about what that actually meant, my friends. These were important men. Learned men. Men with comfortable homes, respected positions, and busy schedules. They could very easily have looked up at that star, nodded thoughtfully, made a note of it in their charts, and gone right back to their warm dinners. But they didn't. They packed their bags, organized their caravans, gathered their gifts, and set off on a long and difficult journey to find a newborn King they had never met, in a country they did not know, simply because a star told them He had been born. That, my friends, takes a special kind of faith. And a special kind of curiosity, too. Now Santa knows all about long journeys — I cover an awful lot of ground myself, as you wel...

Santa Tells Everyone About the Journey Home to Nazareth Ho ho ho! Well, Mary and Joseph had fled all the way to Egypt to keep their little one safe from jealous King Herod. And in a strange land, far from home, they waited. And they waited. Doing the patient, quiet work of keeping their family together until it was finally safe to return. And in time, my friends, that day came. Old King Herod, with all his scheming and all his worry, eventually passed from the scene. And once he was gone, heaven sent Joseph another message — yes, in a dream once again, because by now you know that's how Joseph received his news. The angel said, "Get up, take the child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to harm the child are gone." And just as faithfully as before, Joseph got up and did exactly as he was told. He gathered his family once more and made the long journey back home. Now, they settled in a town called Nazareth — the very same town where this...

Santa Explains About King Herod and His Worried Throne Ho ho ho! Now, every good story has a moment of suspense, doesn't it? A bit of tension. And the Christmas story is no different. So let me tell you about a fellow named King Herod — and I'll warn you now, he is not one of the heroes of our tale. You see, as the wise men traveled, following that bright star, they made a perfectly sensible stop. They arrived in the great city of Jerusalem and started asking around. "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the East, and we have come to worship Him." Now, that's a fair question to ask in a big city. But it was exactly the wrong question to ask in front of the wrong king. Because the king on the throne in those parts was Herod — and Herod did not like the sound of a new king one little bit. When word reached Herod that strangers were wandering about asking after a newborn King, he was deeply troubled. And the Good Book tells us that ...

Mary Treasured These Things Ho ho ho! Now, with all the excitement of our story — the angels, the shepherds, the wise men, the star, the gifts, the fleeing and the returning — Santa wants to slow down for just a moment and talk about somebody who watched it all happen. Quietly. From up close. Young Mary, the mother. Think about everything this young woman had been through. An angel appeared and told her she'd have a very special son. She traveled seventy hard miles while expecting a baby. She gave birth in a stable and laid her newborn in a feeding trough. Then a band of rough shepherds came rushing in, breathless, talking about a sky full of singing angels. Later, grand wise men from far-off lands knelt on her floor and laid treasures before her child. Now that, my friends, is an awful lot to take in. That would be a lot for anyone! And the Good Book tells us something simple and lovely about how Mary handled it all. It says, "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered t...

Santa Explains The Long Journey to Bethlehem Ho ho ho! Now, you might think old Santa has the most demanding travel schedule in all of history. The whole world in a single night! And I'll admit, it keeps me busy. But let me tell you about a journey that puts even my sleigh route to shame. It all started with paperwork. Doesn't it always? The Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, decided he wanted a census — a great big head-count of everyone in the land, mostly so he could keep track of his taxes. And the rule was, everyone had to travel back to their ancestral hometown to register. For Joseph, that hometown was Bethlehem. And Bethlehem was a long, long way from Nazareth — about seventy miles, give or take. Now seventy miles might not sound like much when you've got a sleigh and eight flying reindeer. But Mary and Joseph had no such luxury. They had their own two feet, a humble donkey, and a road full of rocks, hills, and dust. No paved highways. No cozy rest stops. No drive-thro...

A football fan in Green Bay asks Santa's weight, what causes lake-effect snow, and how a team can be fan-owned A Letter to Santa from Green Bay, Wisconsin Dear Santa, Hi Santa! My name is Wesley and I am 8 years old. I live in Green Bay, Wisconsin, a chilly city by the bay where everyone loves football. I love sledding and eating cheese curds. My cheeky question is: how much does Santa Claus weigh? My geography question is: what causes lake-effect snow? And my social studies question is: how can a sports team be owned by its fans? Thanks, Santa! Love, Wesley (age 8) Santa's Reply Ho ho ho, hello Wesley! That is a cheeky one, and I love it. I am afraid a gentleman never reveals his exact weight, especially one who eats as many cookies as I do! But I will happily admit that I am pleasantly round and comfortably stuffed. When I laugh, my belly wobbles like a bowl of jelly, and I would not trade a single pound of that jolly roundness. After all, my round shape is simply pro...

Kareem from Amman, Jordan Dear Santa, My name is Kareem and I am eleven years old. I live in Amman, Jordan. My family is Muslim. We do not celebrate Christmas but my Christian friend Elias does and he told me about you and I thought your job sounded interesting so I am writing. I have three questions. Who is Jesus in Islam? Why is the Middle East called the Middle East if it is not in the middle of anything? Why do people fight over the same holy places? Thank you. Kareem Mansour Amman, Jordan Dear Kareem, Your friend Elias was right to tell you about me, and you were right to write. I want to say something before I answer your questions: a Muslim boy in Amman writing to Santa Claus because his Christian friend described an interesting job is one of the finest things I have read this December, and I have read several million letters this month. That is friendship working exactly as it should. Please tell Elias I said so. Now. Jesus in Islam. In Islam, Jesus is known as Isa ibn ...

The Real Spirit of Christmas Ho ho ho! Well now, my friends, we've come to the end of our story. And what a story it's been! We've traveled a long way together, haven't we? We met young Mary, brave enough to say yes. We met faithful Joseph, who simply did the right thing, again and again. We walked the long road to Bethlehem, knocked on every full door in town, and found shelter at last in a humble stable. We watched a baby laid in a manger. We stood with the shepherds as the sky lit up with angels. We followed a star across the world with the wise men, and we watched a jealous king's schemes come to nothing. We fled to Egypt and came home to Nazareth. And we learned that beautiful name, Emmanuel — God with us. So now let old Santa ask you the big question. After all of that, what is the real spirit of Christmas? It isn't the wrapping paper, my friends, lovely as it is. It isn't the tinsel or the twinkling lights, much as I adore them. It isn't e...

Santa: Why We Give Gifts Ho ho ho! Now, as the jolly old fellow who fills the stockings and stuffs the sleigh, I think I'm just the right Santa to answer a question children sometimes ask me. "Santa," they say, "why do we give presents at Christmas in the first place?" And oh, what a wonderful question that is. Let me tell you. It all goes right back to our story. Because Christmas, at its very heart, is about a gift. The greatest gift ever given. On that first Christmas, the world received hope, and love, and the promise that nobody need ever feel alone again — all wrapped up in a tiny baby in a manger. That, my friends, was the first and finest Christmas present of all. And then came the wise men, remember? They traveled all that long, long way, following the star, and when they finally arrived, what did they do? They opened their treasures and gave gifts. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They gave because they were overjoyed, because they loved, because t...

Mary Treasured These Things Ho ho ho! Now, with all the excitement of our story — the angels, the shepherds, the wise men, the star, the gifts, the fleeing and the returning — Santa wants to slow down for just a moment and talk about somebody who watched it all happen. Quietly. From up close. Young Mary, the mother. Think about everything this young woman had been through. An angel appeared and told her she'd have a very special son. She traveled seventy hard miles while expecting a baby. She gave birth in a stable and laid her newborn in a feeding trough. Then a band of rough shepherds came rushing in, breathless, talking about a sky full of singing angels. Later, grand wise men from far-off lands knelt on her floor and laid treasures before her child. Now that, my friends, is an awful lot to take in. That would be a lot for anyone! And the Good Book tells us something simple and lovely about how Mary handled it all. It says, "Mary treasured up all these things and pond...

Santa Tells Everyone About the Journey Home to Nazareth Ho ho ho! Well, Mary and Joseph had fled all the way to Egypt to keep their little one safe from jealous King Herod. And in a strange land, far from home, they waited. And they waited. Doing the patient, quiet work of keeping their family together until it was finally safe to return. And in time, my friends, that day came. Old King Herod, with all his scheming and all his worry, eventually passed from the scene. And once he was gone, heaven sent Joseph another message — yes, in a dream once again, because by now you know that's how Joseph received his news. The angel said, "Get up, take the child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to harm the child are gone." And just as faithfully as before, Joseph got up and did exactly as he was told. He gathered his family once more and made the long journey back home. Now, they settled in a town called Nazareth — the very same town ...

The Escape to Egypt Ho ho ho! Now, the wise men had slipped safely away by a different road, and that was good news indeed. But there was still the matter of King Herod, sitting in his palace with that jealous heart of his. And once Herod realized the wise men weren't coming back to report to him, well — he was not a happy king. Not one bit. So once again, heaven stepped in to protect that precious little family. And once again, it happened in the quiet of the night. You'll remember that Joseph — good, steady, dependable Joseph — was a man who paid attention to his dreams. And one night, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream with an urgent message. "Get up," the angel said. "Take the child and His mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to harm Him." Now, this was not an easy thing to ask of a man. Egypt was far away. It was a foreign land, with foreign customs and a foreign langua...

Santa: A Dream and a Different Road Ho ho ho! Now do you remember sneaky old King Herod, and that sly little smile of his? He'd asked the wise men to come back and report exactly where the child was, pretending he wanted to worship Him too. But of course, Herod had no such kindness in his heart. He had other, darker plans entirely. Well, my friends, here is where the story takes a wonderful turn. Because you simply cannot outwit heaven. After the wise men had visited the child and presented their gifts, they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod. Just like that — a quiet message in the night, slipping past all of Herod's scheming. So instead of returning to the king's palace as they'd been asked, the wise men packed up their camels and went home to their own country by another route entirely. A different road. They simply slipped away, and Herod never got his report. Now I find this part absolutely delightful, and I'll tell you why. Herod thought he...

Santa Speaks about Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh Ho ho ho! Now, Santa knows a thing or two about gifts. It's rather my whole line of work, after all! So you can imagine how interested I am in the famous presents the wise men brought to the little King. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Three gifts. Three travelers. And not a single toy among them! Let's start with the gold. Now, gold I understand completely. Gold is a gift fit for a king. It's precious, it's valuable, it gleams and it shines. When you give someone gold, you are saying, "You are royalty. You are worthy of the very finest." And that's exactly what the wise men were saying. This child was a King — the King of Kings — and gold honored that. So far, so sensible. But then we come to the second gift. Frankincense. Now, I'll be honest with you, if you handed a child a box of frankincense today, you might get a rather puzzled look. Frankincense isn't a toy or a treat. It's a special ...

The Wise Men Find the Child - Santa Tells the Story Ho ho ho! So the wise men left King Herod's palace, with his sly little smile still hanging in the air behind them, and they set off once more to finish their long journey. And the moment they stepped outside — there it was again. That glorious star, shining ahead of them in the sky. And the Good Book tells us something rather sweet here. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. After all those weary miles, after that uneasy meeting with a nervous king, that faithful star was still there, still leading the way. Wouldn't you be overjoyed too? The star went ahead of them until it stopped — right over the place where the child was. Imagine that! After traveling across deserts and hills, after weeks and weeks of following a light in the sky, the journey finally came to its end. The star settled over one humble house in one little town, as if to say, "Here. This is the place. You've made it." The wise men ...

Santa Explains About King Herod and His Worried Throne Ho ho ho! Now, every good story has a moment of suspense, doesn't it? A bit of tension. And the Christmas story is no different. So let me tell you about a fellow named King Herod — and I'll warn you now, he is not one of the heroes of our tale. You see, as the wise men traveled, following that bright star, they made a perfectly sensible stop. They arrived in the great city of Jerusalem and started asking around. "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the East, and we have come to worship Him." Now, that's a fair question to ask in a big city. But it was exactly the wrong question to ask in front of the wrong king. Because the king on the throne in those parts was Herod — and Herod did not like the sound of a new king one little bit. When word reached Herod that strangers were wandering about asking after a newborn King, he was deeply troubled. And the Good Book tells ...

Santa and The Star of Bethlehem Ho ho ho! Now let's lift our eyes up from the stable for a moment and look way, way up — up into that vast night sky. Because hanging there, brighter than anything around it, was something truly extraordinary. A star. Not just any star, mind you. This was the Star of Bethlehem. And it shone with such brilliance, such unusual splendor, that wise and learned men far, far away in the East couldn't help but notice it. Now Santa knows a thing or two about navigating by the night sky. When you're guiding a sleigh across the whole world in one evening, you learn to read the stars pretty well. But I've never once seen a star like this one. This star wasn't just for decoration. This star had a job to do. It was a signpost in the heavens, a great glowing arrow pointing toward the most important place on earth. You see, in those days, there were scholars — wise men, sometimes called Magi — who studied the stars very carefully. They watch...

Santa: The Shepherds Visit the Manger Ho ho ho! So there stood our shepherds, hearts pounding, jaws hanging open, the echo of that heavenly choir still ringing in their ears. The sky had gone dark and quiet again. The angels had returned to heaven. And the field was just a field once more, with the sheep blinking up at them as if to say, "Well? What was all that about?" Now here's the moment that tells you what the shepherds were truly made of. Because there are two kinds of people in this world, my friends. The first kind would have sat right back down. They'd have rubbed their eyes, scratched their heads, and said, "Did that really just happen? Let's not be hasty. Let's sleep on it. We'll think it over in the morning when we've had a good rest, and maybe we'll wander into town next week to check, if we get round to it." But the shepherds were the second kind. The better kind! The moment the angels were gone, they turned to one...

Santa Tells Everyone About The Angel and the Heavenly Choir Ho ho ho! Now where did we leave off? Ah yes — the shepherds, out in the cold dark field, minding their sheep, expecting nothing more exciting than another long, quiet night. And then... suddenly... the sky lit up! An angel of the Lord appeared right before them, and the glory of the Lord shone all around. The whole field went from pitch black to brilliant, dazzling light in the blink of an eye. Now, old Santa fancies himself a master of the dramatic entrance. I come down chimneys! I land on rooftops! I appear in the dead of night without a sound! But I'll be honest with you — even I have never lit up an entire sky. The angel had me beat, fair and square. The shepherds, as you might imagine, were absolutely terrified. And honestly? Who could blame them. One minute you're leaning on your stick, half-asleep, listening to the sheep shuffle about. The next minute the heavens crack wide open and a glowing heavenly...

Santa Explains The Shepherds in the Fields Ho ho ho! Gather round, because Santa wants to tell you about some of my very favorite people in the whole Christmas story — the shepherds. Now, they don't get top billing. No crowns, no fancy robes, no big dramatic speeches. But oh, what a night these fellows had! You see, on that holy night, there were shepherds out in the fields near Bethlehem, watching over their flocks of sheep. This was the night shift, my friends — the unglamorous job that nobody ever fights over. While the rest of the town was tucked snugly into bed, these hard-working fellows were out in the open, keeping the wolves away and counting sheep for real. It was dark. It was quiet. And it was probably a little bit cold — even colder than the North Pole, if you can believe that! And at least old Santa has a nice warm suit and a team of reindeer to keep him company. These shepherds had a walking stick, a wool blanket, and a flock of animals who are not exactly spark...

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Santa Explains Joseph's Dream Ho ho ho! Now let's talk about Joseph — a hard-working carpenter from Nazareth, and a man who, in Santa's humble opinion, doesn't get nearly enough credit in this story. Joseph was a good and honest fellow. He worked with his hands, he kept his word, and he was engaged to be married to Mary. By all accounts, his life was going exactly to plan. He had a trade, a future, and a wedding on the horizon. Steady as you please. And then the plan got complicated. You see, Joseph learned that Mary was expecting a child — and he knew the child wasn't his. Now put yourself in the man's well-worn sandals for a moment. That's a heavy thing to carry. He was confused. He was hurt. He had every reason in the world to be upset. But here's what tells you everything you need to know about Joseph's character. Even in that difficult moment, he didn't want to embarrass Mary or expose her to shame. He decided he would handle the w...

North Pole Wonderland Adaeze from Lagos, Nigeria Dear Santa, My name is Adaeze and I am ten years old. I live in Lagos, Nigeria, which my uncle says is the city that never sleeps, which I believe because I have tried sleeping in it and it is very difficult when there is a generator running next door and someone on the street is selling things very loudly and a wedding is happening somewhere nearby even though it is Tuesday. Lagos does not care what day it is. Lagos is always happening. Dear Adaeze. Lagos is one of the most alive cities on my entire route and I mean that with full sincerity and both ears. I have been delivering to Lagos for as long as Lagos has been Lagos, which is a long time, and every year without exception the city surprises me. The energy from the sleigh altitude is unlike anywhere else on Earth. It looks like someone tipped a bucket of light sideways and it never stopped falling. The generator noise, for the record, does not bother the reindeer. Dasher says ...

  Christmas Eve: A Complete Guide to Santa's Big Night Christmas Eve is the most exciting night of the year. It's the night Santa Claus leaves the North Pole and sets out on his incredible journey around the world. But what exactly happens on Christmas Eve, from the moment Santa climbs into his sleigh to the moment he returns home? Let's walk through it together. The Final Preparations at the North Pole The days leading up to Christmas Eve are the busiest at the North Pole. Elves finish wrapping the last of the gifts. Mrs. Claus packs Santa's snack bag and double-checks that his suit is clean and pressed. The reindeer are groomed, fed a special meal, and fitted with their famous harnesses. The sleigh is loaded, inspected, and polished until it gleams. Santa's Departure At the right moment on Christmas Eve — determined by the position of the stars and the movement of the Earth's time zones — Santa climbs aboard his sleigh. He gives a wave to Mrs. Claus and the el...