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Dear Santa, says India

Parents and kids from Chandigarh to Hyderabad write to the man who brings gifts

IANS

Posted On Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at 09:14:42 AM

Rovaniemi: “Dear Santa Claus, I needhelp in my studies so I can bring laurels to my family”, “Please ring my doorbell, I want to give you a gift” — These are some of the thousands of letters written by children from India to the cherubic man in red with a flowing white beard, a hearty laugh and a bag of gifts.

Santa’s home in Lapland where it is always Christmas

The commercial centre of Finland’s northernmost province Lapland, where the sun never sets in midsummer is best-known the world over as the hometown of Santa Claus.

What is common in all the letters to Santa is the gentle reminder for a “gift” or a desperate appeal for a visit, as a visiting correspondent discovered. “Please call me”, writes Parvathy from Hyderabad, while Pooja and Praneeeti from Delhi inform Santa that they “believe with their whole hearts” that he exists and want to be his elves.

Harneet Kaur from Chandigarh writes that she has “heard” so much about Santa that she wants him to visit her “at least once. Please do come”.
 
All letters land at the main post office located in the heart of Santa's Workshop Village and is manned by his favorite elves. It is always Christmas at the post office.

It wears a very festive look with gift wrapped packets, Christmas cards and souvenirs and the sound of Christmas carols in the background. No wonder it attracts 400,000 visitors every year.

Santa Claus, who can be met on any day of the year at the Santa Claus Office on the Arctic Circle, has received 15.5 million letters from 198 countries since 1985.

While Britain tops the list with 1,50,000 letters, Italy follows with 100,000 and Poland with 45,000. It is also just not children who are writing to Santa Claus. Parents too write to this favourite resident of the city.
 
Ketan Sahah from Surat writes: “I love you and our children love you too”. “Do not fail to send me a Christmas gift. We are eagerly waiting. I love you Santa”, writes Jayant from Lucknow.







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