by A market girl in Marrakesh asks Santa’s real name, what the Atlas Mountains are, and how bargaining works
A Letter to Santa from Marrakesh, Morocco
Dear Santa,
Salam Santa! My name is Yasmin and I am 9 years old. I live in Marrakesh, in Morocco, where the markets are full of spices, lanterns, and color. I love painting and helping my father at his stall. My question is: what is Santa Claus’s real name? My geography question is: what are the Atlas Mountains? And my social studies question is: how does bargaining work in a marketplace? Shukran, Santa!
Love, Yasmin (age 9)
Santa’s Reply
Ho ho ho, salam Yasmin! A girl who helps at a busy market stall will appreciate a straight answer. My real name, the true one behind all the jolly nicknames, is Nicholas. Long ago I was Saint Nicholas of Myra, a generous man famous for his secret gifts. The name Santa Claus is simply what Nicholas slowly turned into over many years and many languages. So when you want my proper, original name, it is Nicholas. Everything else, Santa, Saint Nick, and the rest, are just friendly nicknames for the same fellow.
Your geography question: the Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains are a great range that runs across your own Morocco and its neighbors. Their tall peaks can be snowy even in a warm land, and they separate the coast from the vast Sahara Desert beyond. People have lived in and around these mountains for thousands of years. Read more at National Geographic Kids.
Your social studies question: bargaining in a marketplace
Bargaining is the friendly back-and-forth where a buyer and a seller talk about a price until they both agree. In your own Morocco, the lively markets called souks are famous for it. The seller names a price, the buyer offers a lower one, and after a little chatting they meet in the middle. It is part shopping and part conversation. Explore more at Britannica Kids.
Help your father well, Yasmin. Yours warmly from the North Pole, Santa Claus.
