by Harper from Salt Lake City asks Santa if she can leave cookies for him, learns about the Great Salt Lake and Wasatch Mountains, and hears about Temple Square’s real Christmas lights display
Dear Santa, my name is Harper and I am nine years old. I live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where my mom says one particular part of downtown lights up so beautifully every December that people drive in from other states just to see it.
Dear Harper, I have flown over that exact display myself, and your mom’s description is entirely accurate.
Santa, I have three questions.
My first question is, can I leave cookies for Santa? I want to bake a proper batch this year, not just buy some from the store.
Please do, Harper. Homemade cookies always taste a little more thoughtful, and I genuinely appreciate every single batch left out for me.
My second question is about our surroundings. My teacher says a huge, salty lake and tall mountains both shape our city. Is that true?
It is, Harper. The Great Salt Lake and the Wasatch Mountains both shape Salt Lake City’s dramatic landscape, one flat and briny, the other steep and snowy. Flying between them each Christmas Eve is a genuinely striking part of my American route.
My third question is about Temple Square. My teacher says the light display there is one of the biggest in the whole region. Is that true?
It is true, Harper. Temple Square’s Christmas lights have become one of the most beloved and extensive displays in the entire region, drawing visitors from across the country each December. I always find it one of the most dazzling stops on my whole route.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Harper Nielsen
Salt Lake City, Utah
P.S. Do you prefer chocolate chip or sugar cookies?
I remain diplomatically fond of both, Harper. It is safer that way.
