In a previous blog I vented… rather, shared my feelings regarding the influx of websites encouraging kids to go high-tech and email their letters to Santa instead of writing them by hand and shipping them off via snail mail.
Frankly, I find the whole Santa email idea a bit insulting. It’s a slap in the face of parents and teachers who work tirelessly to encourage children to practice their penmanship. Think about it; what better incentive to get your kindergartener to master spelling, printing and word order than actually putting pen (or pencil or crayon) to paper and jotting down the gifts they would like to see under the Christmas tree come December 25th.
If your child is getting ready to pound out a letter to Jolly ol’ St. Nick this season, then consider having him or her drop off a copy at Macy’s. Yes, the department store. It sounds strange, but here’s why I’m having my preschooler draft another letter to Santa this week:
Inspired by the New York Sun’s famous, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” editorial from 1897, Macy’s is inviting children of all ages (mom and dad you can participate too) to drop off letters to Santa at the store’s “Believe” stations. The stations consist of bright red mailboxes surrounded by mounds of fake snow. For each letter collected from now until Christmas Macy’s will donate $1 (up to $1 million) to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. (The popular charity grants wishes to terminally ill children.)
If you visit the store and realize you forgot your letter at home, you can write one at the “Believe” station. Each kiosk/mailbox features a letter-writing area for anyone who would like to pen a note to Santa. Just to clarify: You are not dropping a dollar bill into the mailbox. Rather, you place your own Santa letter in the box and Macy’s donates the money to the foundation.
Think of the millions of sick children whose lives you can make a bit brighter by simply jotting down your own wish list.
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