by Marina, age 8 from San Diego, California, asks Santa about the song’s lyrics, the Mexican border, and California’s first Spanish mission.
Dear Santa, my name is Marina, and I am eight years old. I live in San Diego, California, where my abuela says our weather stays warm and sunny almost the entire year round.
Dear Marina, a city that sunny nearly every day of the year makes for one of the most pleasant stops on my entire route, your abuela picked a truly comfortable hometown.
Santa, I have three questions.
What are the lyrics to ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’? My tia sings it every single year at our family party.
Those particular words belong to the songwriters who wrote them, Marina, so I will leave the exact lyrics to your tia’s memory. What I can say is that a cheerful song like that always brings a smile, no matter who is singing it or how many words get mixed up along the way.
My abuela says San Diego sits right near the border with Mexico. Is that true?
It is true, Marina, San Diego sits right along the border with Mexico, a lively meeting point of two countries. I always enjoy that warm, sunny coastline on my way to your rooftop.
My abuela says our city has an old Spanish mission that was the very first one built in all of California. Is that true?
It is true, Marina, Mission San Diego de Alcala was the first of California’s historic missions, founded centuries ago. That kind of deep, layered history is really something worth being proud of.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Marina Delgado
San Diego, California
P.S. Will you sing along with my tia this year, just a little?
I will hum along quietly, Marina, my singing is better appreciated from a respectful distance.
