letters

14 December 2009

Dear Santa,

Hope all is well up there. Things continue to go reasonably well down here in San Diego and at Mar Vista high school. Most of the kids really are nice—not really so naughty except for a few who don’t read and maybe an even smaller number who turn in IRA’s (independent reading accountability—its an assignment in my class) without actually reading—but you know who they are—I mean you’ve got the naughty list, right?

Here’s the thing. Since you’re going to be in the home of every kid—I mean you have to visit even the naughty ones to deliver their lump of coal, right?—could you do something for me? I don’t even want a present in the conventional sense—I mean, I do, but I’m willing to trade in my present request for this: While you’re in the homes of my peers could you please re-appropriate all the cell phones and Ipods and video games of these children?

With all due respect, sir, these gifts are not good for my peers. I’m worried that these sweet kids will become self-absorbed and less thoughtful because they are in thrall to these devices. Watch them for a while—older kids even go on dates and “text” virtual others while sitting at dinner ignoring their actual date. They’re losing the ability to talk to each other. I’m not sure they understand the difference between a digital signal and an actual human being any more.

A more cynical person might believe this is your plan—you are getting older and I imagine your job is rather tiring. If you allow kids to possess these soul-suffocating devices, more of them will grow more self-absorbed and subsequently more naughty. Then you don’t have to make and deliver a gift for those kids next year—a lighter work-load for you and the elves. But I can’t really believe you’d be involved in such a thing—I mean you are (in part, at least) evolved from St. Nicholas. He was generous enough to provide the dowries for those orphan girls to save them from a life of shame, right?

So, since I choose to believe that you are interested first in the growth of goodness/niceness (and of course in the reduction of naughtiness) I feel comfortable asking this favor of you. I’ve been good (not perfect, but good). This is my Christmas wish. Please re-appropriate all these niceness-destroying devices.

You could replace them with books.

Thanks,


Miguel P.S.C.B.
505 Elm Ave.
Imperial Beach, CA 91932



(excerpts from the letters to santa written by MVH students)


. . . I would like the economy to get better so Christmas won’t be so stressful

And my other brother, who hasn’t made the best choices in life, get him what he needs, not what he wants.

I want world peace. Oops, wrong thing---that’s for the beauty pageant.

I want free health insurance for everybody! And free admission to universities just like in France! Or a plane ticket to France and a home there! If you can’t do that then I’d like an IPod.

I want for you to put the idea in people’s heads that Christmas is celebrated because Christ was born and that you were doing good deeds but that people carried it a bit too far into consumerism.

My very adorable turtle requires a light that goes out about every two weeks and costs $20. I want a lifetime supply of lights for my turtle . . .I won’t ask for anything else.

. . but don’t forget that the poor kids need you more than I do so don’t worry about me, worry about them.

Don’t give me anything. I have done wrong to my family and they have always been there for me so make their dreams come true.

I want my sister to get a life and move out so I can finally have my own room.

For my deported brother in law to be allowed back in so he doesn’t have to be away from my nephew and sister . . .and for my parents to forgive each other.

Help those who are addicted. Help struggling families pay the bills and get through these hard times.

Somehow I don’t feel Christmas spirit this year. I’m kinda sad. So I guess what I want most for Christmas, is Christmas!

My wish is for my mother, not for me. Help her get the money to pay for her house in TJ.

So we come to this time and I don’t even have money for gifts for my family nor for my SAT test so my only wish right now is can you make my family happy for all that I can’t give them right now? Could you grant me that wish? PS. And one of those BF’s that is perfect for me that everybody talks about.

Santa, I really want peace with myself and maybe a novio wouldn’t be so bad 4 me this year but I don’t mind if it doesn’t come.

I would like a new straightener for my hair because my hair is getting really nappy . . .and a pony and some oreos and maybe a boyfriend for my mom.

I’ve applied for lots of jobs. Help me get one so I can help my family pay the bills.

My parents were very generous this year so I don’t need much. Just make sure my friends have as good a Christmas as I do.

I want my mom to stay home instead of going away with her stupid boyfriend and leaving me by myself. And my brother’s dad to come home because he really wants to see him.

I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me to help my sister with her life. I just wish I could be a better brother for her. . .another thing I want to be is patient; that would help me while talking to my parents . . .

Salud, felizidad, amor y prosperidad para mi y los que amo! Ps. Si se me olvido pedir un novio.

I honestly have everything I could ask for—a loving family, bread for every day and a roof over my head . . .you can skip me this year and give to those less fortunate.

For me and my mom and my brother to stick together.

Please help our new President really make the change we voted for.

It’s not like Santa is going to come to my house—not even Santa wants to go to TJ right now.

I hope my dad visits me . . .the economy is going down the drain and so is my family.

College tuition, an A on my Gatsby paper and a puppy.

I hope you help people who need it more than I do.

Help and protect our new President.

Teach my dad to ask about my boyfriend’s character, not about his ethnicity.

If you could find my father a job . . .my mother works but its not enough to pay the basic bills.

Could you fix the world so that everybody could be content and not always want more and kinda balance things out so things could be more peaceful?

And end to the “War on Terrorism?” We’re still losing loved ones. And the entire Twilight saga in hardback?

Please help my father succeed in his job as well as my aunt.

I also would like to see my dad for the first time.

A world with less bigotry and more food? World peace and Nintendo Wiis for everybody!