Anthony told Santa he wanted a magic button he could press to wipe him away from the tired reality of the pandemic.
“Dear Santa,” Jonah wrote. “I don’t want anything at Christmas, but I’d like to ask if you can do me a favor: Could you find a cure for Covid-19 and give it to us to save the world. Thank you.”
The postal service will help you fulfill your Christmas wishes
The post offices worked with volunteers who agreed to “accept” letters from children in need and send them items to their wish lists.
Children are open to a figure like Santa because they are seen as a helpful, trustworthy person who spreads joy, says child psychologist Avital Cohen, founder of Peachtree Child Psychology in Atlanta.
“What I’ve read from these letters is that kids are really thinking about the needs of their parents or the world and not just dealing with their own desires this year (although of course some kids are asking for the gift they want, expected this year! ), ”Cohen said in an email to CNN.
“Mr. Rogers is known for finding helpers in scary situations – this is our chance to be helpers and our children to be helpers as well.”
Since October, children and adults in the U.S. have sent more than 10,000 banknotes and cards to Santa this year – many reflect the hardships of the year, USPS spokesman Kimberly Frum said.
“Individuals and families will be affected by the number of challenges in many ways in 2020. Covid-19 has resulted in job losses, temporary unemployment and, unfortunately, the loss of family and friends,” Frum said in an email to CNN.
“The program has always been about giving holiday gifts to families who don’t have the opportunity to meet basic everyday needs. This year, there are likely to be more families who are financially and emotionally affected.”
Most of the letters to Santa have already been accepted by donors, Frum said. Postal workers will continue to upload new mail until December 15th.
Many children’s letters reflect the reality of life in 2020
But in many letters, the feelings are not quite as usual.
A 13-year-old Texas girl named Kimberly isn’t like many kids when she asks for AirPods from Santa. But he also asked for gifts for his three brothers and his money-poor parents: a training machine for his mother and a waterproof coat for his father.
Nine-year-old Alani asked for Lego and a gift card for her mother. He drew a smiling girl with curly hair with Santa Claus – a hilarious scene that belied the complainant’s tone of his letter.
“Dear Santa, this year has been rough … because of the crona … my mother said she can’t get me anything at Christmas because she doesn’t get paid enough to refuse anything,” she wrote.
Savannah, a Massachusetts girl, asked for confession and apology.
Nhea, a Florida girl, sounded a little more hopeful in her letter asking Santa if the pandemic had reached the North Pole.
“Do you have covid where you are? If not, I just want to say you’re lucky,” he wrote. “Dad says that even though he lost his job, we’ll still find a way to celebrate.”
“I wish the covenant was over so we could hug him,” he wrote.
