This is the Santa letter box, made by Canada Post employees at the Cloverdale Distribution Center. Every day the carriers come back from their walks with local letters. They aren't sent to the main depot but deposited in the above mailbox and we pick them up at 9:00 AM when we start.Every year I decline lunches from Red Hat and Sapphire Sisters and other daytime invitations I get. I clear my calendar so I can go into Canada Post as many days as possible. This year we couldn't get into our room until December 1st so it was a little shorter than previous years.
We are now finished for the year. I have don't know how many letters were done across Canada. We sent letters to Canada, Japan, Mexico, Ireland, Scotland and the USA. We got letters in different languages. We answer the French ones, but other languages are sent to the main depot. Many people working for Canada Post have a second language but if we can't find anyone to answer in the language required, Embassies assist us. This year we received letters in 27 different languages. We received many letters without a return address. Unfortunately, they don't get answered.
We cannot take pictures of the letters, but here are some comments we read:
- I've been naughty, I broke my parents TV!!
- My favorite animal is my mom!
- One young child said he wants to be an "Actuary". His favorite thing is his "calculator"
One letter from a young boy was in categories:
Want: a short list of presents from Santa
Need: two items of clothing listed with sizes and stores to buy them
Do: things he wants to do in 2024: Escape Room; Science World; Laser Tag
Read: Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac & anything by Dav Pilkem
Many children want world peace and hunger to stop. One child wants his father to return home, another wants her mom's cancer to be cured and one boy only wanted his dad to get a job.
The most requested items I saw:
- I Pad/Computer
- I Phone
- 3D Printer (even I want one of these)
- Taylor Swift Tickets
- Many things that started with Barbie
We are always shocked with the names and spelling of them. We got some very unique first names from Game of Thrones characters and other shows I'd never heard of. However, the most unique name: First Name: Precious Middle Name: Gift
Yes children are a precious gift, but really!!!
Carol is our long time Canada Post retiree volunteer co-ordinator and has answered letters for many years. She said she got started when she was a letter carrier in Ladner. She was doing door to door letter delivery and a little boy would be at the door every day asking for his letter from Santa. One day, it was in her mail. She went to the house, mom answered the door with the boy beside his mom. The excitement he had when he actually got the letter started her answering letters. When my hands ache from writing, I think of all the children who are getting those letters and I hope they are excited as the little boy in Ladner many years ago.
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