One of the best things about Christmas is getting to create your Christmas wishlist. And when you’re a child, there is nothing more magical than writing your letter to Santa and then waiting for Christmas Day to roll around. But as we know, 2020 has been a pretty tough year. We’ve all been dealing with the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as seeing relatives or close friends become sick, unemployment numbers rising, the loss of loved ones, etc. These are the stresses that have come as part and parcel of 2020, however, they’re the challenges that face adults. Or at least we want to think that they’re challenges only faced by adults.
As much as parents try to shield their children from the nightmare that has been 2020, there are some harsh realities that our kids have had to face. And the impact that 2020 has had on our kids is, perhaps, best exemplified in some very heartbreaking letters that have been written to Santa Claus this year. The struggles that these kids have seen their families face are very sad and they have led to some rather different Christmas gift requests this year.
Each year, the United States Postal Service will receive hundreds of letters from kids all across the country writing to Santa. And every year, some of the letters received will be published in a very generous gesture for kind strangers who may want to “adopt” a family and donate the gifts to them through the participating post office. This ensures that the requests are actually fulfilled in the case of families who may not have the means.
It’s a wonderful idea and a great way to give back to the community. But this year, some of the letters are a lot more heartbreaking than usual given that this year has been unrelenting for some. If you would like to volunteer to be a Santa to a family in need, you can click here for more information.