by Vanya from Moscow asks Santa about his North Pole computer, learns about the Volga River, and hears about his colleague Ded Moroz
Dear Santa, my name is Vanya and I am eight years old. I live in Moscow, Russia, where my dedushka says the winters are so cold that even the pigeons look annoyed about it.
Dear Vanya, I have seen those pigeons personally, and your dedushka’s description is generous.
Santa, I have three questions.
My first question is, do you have a computer at the North Pole? My dad says you must, to keep track of billions of children.
I do, several in fact, mostly run by an elf named Olga who is terrifyingly good at spreadsheets. I still prefer my paper list for the important parts, though. Some things deserve ink.
My second question is about a river. My teacher says the longest river in Europe runs through our country. Is that true?
It is, Vanya, the mighty Volga River, and it winds for thousands of kilometers before reaching the Caspian Sea. Following it from the sleigh at night, with the ice glittering below, is a truly beautiful sight, though a chilly one.
My third question is about Ded Moroz. My babushka says he brings gifts on New Year’s Eve instead of Christmas. Why is that different from you?
Ded Moroz, Grandfather Frost, is a great friend and a considerably more ancient figure than I am. He travels by troika, a three-horse sleigh, with his granddaughter Snegurochka beside him, and his gift-giving on New Year’s Eve reflects Russia’s own history, when Christmas celebrations were once discouraged but New Year festivities were not. He carries the spirit of winter itself, and I have always found him wonderfully dignified.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Ivan Petrov
Moscow, Russia
P.S. Does Ded Moroz’s staff actually do magic?
He says yes. I have never dared to test it.
