by Dakota, age 8 from Phoenix, Arizona, asks Santa about a Santa hotline, the Sonoran Desert, and Arizona’s daylight saving time policy.
Dear Santa, my name is Dakota, and I am eight years old. I live in Phoenix, Arizona, where my mom says it gets so hot and sunny here that some of our neighbors decorate cactuses instead of pine trees.
Dear Dakota, a decorated cactus is one of the more delightfully prickly Christmas traditions I have encountered, your mom picked a truly sun-soaked hometown.
Santa, I have three questions.
Is there a Santa hotline? My little brother wants to hear a recorded message from you this year.
Several kind organizations run holiday calling lines with cheerful recorded messages this time of year, Dakota, ask a grown-up to help find one your family trusts. A recorded hello can add a little extra sparkle to the countdown.
My mom says Phoenix is one of the sunniest and hottest cities in the entire country. Is that true?
It is true, Dakota, Phoenix sits in the Sonoran Desert, known for an enormous number of sunny days and very high summer temperatures. I always pack my lightest gear for that particular stop.
My mom says Arizona is one of the only states that does not change its clocks for daylight saving time. Is that true?
It is true, Dakota, most of Arizona skips daylight saving time entirely, staying on the same schedule all year round. I always double check my clock carefully before landing there, just to be safe.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Dakota Reyes
Phoenix, Arizona
P.S. Can you decorate a cactus of your own at the workshop this year?
I will leave the cactus decorating to warmer climates, Dakota, the North Pole has quite enough prickly challenges already.
