Some 20,000 requests for assistance pour into Globe Santa’s production center every year, most all of them heart-wrenching letters written by mothers, fathers, grandparents, guardians, and others who want their children to celebrate Christmas with gifts from Santa Claus.
Perhaps the most moving and inspiring of the missives, however, often come from children themselves.
Such is the case for a young girl from a town on Boston’s North Shore, who sent a neatly printed letter to Globe Santa that captures the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a child.
“I hope that you are all rested up from delivering presents last year,’’ the 10-year-old wrote. “I want you to know that I have been very good this year, and I listened to my mother.’’
The youngster lives with her mother, who has always supported the two of them, she wrote.
But this year her mom was laid off from her job, and their situation has taken a turn for the worse. Financially, they are barely making ends meet, and with the holiday season fast approaching, the little girl leapt into action.
“My mother is going through a tough time,’’ she wrote. “All I wish for is for my mom to get a job soon and stop crying at night time. I hear her even though she thinks that I am sleeping.’’
Despite her unselfish nature, the woman’s daughter is still just a child and is naturally hoping to find presents from Santa under their tree on Christmas morning.
She mentioned no specific toys or games, emphasizing that anything would be greatly appreciated, and ended her note with a message for the hard-working, mystical creatures that allow Santa to make his rounds.
“Please say hello to the reindeer,’’ she wrote. “I love to watch the Christmas movies that have all of them flying around.’’
This precocious 10-year-old will know that Santa Claus had her on his list this season when she joins tens of thousands of other children who receive gifts from Globe Santa, a program of the Boston Globe Foundation.
But her happy Christmas morning is made possible only through the generosity of thousands of individuals, groups, businesses, restaurants, schools, social clubs, and others that donate to the fund drive, many of whom remember Globe Santa from their own childhood.
Since 1956, the campaign has delivered toys, books, games, clothes, and other gifts to families throughout Eastern Massachusetts that celebrate Christmas in the Santa Claus tradition.
Please consider helping put a smile on a child’s face this Christmas. You can contribute to Globe Santa by mail or telephone or at globesanta.org.
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Another way to give to Globe Santa is to eat at any Chipotle Mexican Grill in Greater Boston on Thursday, Dec. 14. Mention Globe Santa or show a fund-raiser flier when you buy and Chipotle will donate 50 percent of your sale to Globe Santa.
Christopher Tangney can be reached at ctangney22@hot-mail.com
