by Anh, age 9, writes to Santa from Hanoi, Vietnam, and asks how old are you, santa?
Dear Santa,
My name is Anh, and I am 9 years old. I live in Hanoi, Vietnam, where her ba drives her past Hoan Kiem Lake every night in December just to see the reflections of the lights.
Dear Anh, that is exactly the sort of detail I like to hear about Hanoi. 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 old are you, Santa? My dad and I were arguing about it at breakfast.
I am considerably older than the calendar can keep track of, but my elves stopped counting candles somewhere around the invention of the printing press. Age is mostly a state of mind up here, and mine is set permanently to jolly.
Second, my grandpa was telling us about the Red River, which flows along the edge of her city on its way to the sea. Do you fly over that on your Christmas Eve route?
Every single year, without fail. The red river, which flows along the edge of her city on its way to the sea 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 in Vietnam? My family was talking about it and I want to know if it is real.
It certainly is true. In vietnam, christmas eve has become a lively public celebration in city centers even though the country is mostly buddhist. I think that is a wonderful thing for a family to talk about, because customs like that are exactly what make Vietnam feel like Vietnam, 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, Anh. Keep noticing the world around you, keep asking honest questions, and keep being kind to the people in Hanoi. That is the whole spirit of Christmas right there. Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Anh
Hanoi, Vietnam
P.S. Does Ông Già Nôel ever visit Hanoi too, or is that only your job?
We split the map fairly evenly, and Ông Già Nôel handles that part of the world beautifully. Consider it a very old and very friendly arrangement.
