by Charlotte, age 9, writes to Santa from Canterbury, England, and asks how many reindeer does santa have?
Dear Santa,
My name is Charlotte, and I am 9 years old. I live in Canterbury, England, where her school takes a class trip to the old cathedral every single December.
Dear Charlotte, that is exactly the sort of detail I like to hear about Canterbury. It tells me you are paying close attention to the world around you, which is a fine habit to keep. Please keep noticing things like that.
Santa, I have three questions. First, how many reindeer does Santa have? My dad and I were arguing about it at breakfast.
Nine on the official roster, with Rudolph up front on foggy nights, though I keep a few backup reindeer in training just in case anyone catches a winter cold.
Second, my grandpa was telling us about the River Stour, which winds gently through the middle of her town. Do you fly over that on your Christmas Eve route?
Every single year, without fail. The river stour, which winds gently through the middle of her town is one of the sights the reindeer look forward to most, and I always tell the newer reindeer to watch closely as we pass over, because there are not many views in the whole wide world quite like it. Rudolph tends to slow down just a little right there, and I have learned not to rush him.
Third, is it true that england’s tradition of the Queen’s or King’s Christmas Day broadcast has continued on television and radio since 1932? My family was talking about it and I want to know if it is real.
It certainly is true. England’s tradition of the queen’s or king’s christmas day broadcast has continued on television and radio since 1932. I think that is a wonderful thing for a family to talk about, because customs like that are exactly what make England feel like England, and they are precisely the sort of thing that keeps a community close together, especially in the winter months.
Thank you for your letter and your good questions, Charlotte. Keep noticing the world around you, keep asking honest questions, and keep being kind to the people in Canterbury. That is the whole spirit of Christmas right there. Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Charlotte
Canterbury, England
P.S. Does Father Christmas ever visit Canterbury too, or is that only your job?
We split the map fairly evenly, and Father Christmas handles that part of the world beautifully. Consider it a very old and very friendly arrangement.
