by Harlow from Sioux Falls asks Santa about sending USPS letters, learns about the Big Sioux River and Falls Park, and hears about the postal history of getting letters to Santa
Dear Santa, my name is Harlow and I am nine years old. I live in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where my grandpa says our whole city is named after a waterfall you can actually walk right up to and hear roaring.
Dear Harlow, your grandpa is entirely right, and I have admired that exact roaring waterfall myself while flying over.
Santa, I have three questions.
My first question is, can I send USPS letters to Santa? This would be my very first time writing, and I wanted to check the process properly.
You certainly can, Harlow, and I am delighted you decided to write. Simply address your letter clearly to Santa Claus, North Pole, and the postal service handles the rest wonderfully.
My second question is about our falls. My teacher says Falls Park is where the whole city got its name. Is that true?
It is, Harlow. Falls Park features dramatic waterfalls on the Big Sioux River, the very feature that gave your city its name. Flying over that roaring, icy water each Christmas Eve is a genuinely beautiful part of my American route.
My third question is, why does the postal service work so hard to help make sure letters like mine actually reach you properly?
Postal workers across the country take real pride and care in handling letters addressed to me, Harlow, understanding how much they mean to the children writing them. I think that kind of quiet dedication, doing a job thoroughly simply because it matters to someone else, is exactly the spirit of the season.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Harlow Jensen
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
P.S. Will this really be my very first letter that counts?
It absolutely will, Harlow. Every first letter counts fully.
