by Madison, age 9 from Orlando, Florida, asks Santa about Christmas in Florida, Orlando’s many lakes, and its global holiday visitors.
Dear Santa, my name is Madison, and I am nine years old. I live in Orlando, Florida, where my mom says more visitors come to our city every December than almost any other place in the whole country.
Dear Madison, Orlando’s December crowds have kept me on my toes for years, so many happy families in one place makes for a very busy, very cheerful stop.
Santa, I have three questions.
Do you visit Christmas in Florida? My cousin thinks you skip warm places since there is no snow.
I visit every warm place right alongside every snowy one, Madison, your cousin can rest easy. Snow has never once been a requirement for a proper Christmas Eve visit, only kindness and a decorated tree, or in Florida’s case, sometimes a palm tree instead.
My teacher says Orlando is famous for having more lakes than almost any other city its size. Is that true?
It is true, Madison, Orlando and the surrounding area are dotted with hundreds of small lakes, giving the whole region a sparkly, watery character even without snow. I always enjoy spotting them from above on my way to your rooftop.
My mom says people travel here from all over the world just to celebrate Christmas at the theme parks. Is that true?
It is true, Madison, families travel from every corner of the globe to spend the season in Orlando, filling the city with languages and traditions from everywhere at once. That kind of shared joy, so many different families choosing to celebrate together in one place, is a wonderful thing to fly over.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Madison Carter
Orlando, Florida
P.S. Can you tell my cousin warm Christmases count just as much as snowy ones?
Consider it officially declared, Madison, every Christmas counts exactly the same in my book.
