by Aiman, age 8 from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, asks Santa about Christmas stockings, Malaysia’s multicultural communities, and Christmas as a public holiday.
Dear Santa, my name is Aiman, and I am eight years old. I live in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where the twin towers downtown get wrapped in Christmas lights every year even though most of my neighbors do not celebrate Christmas at home.
Dear Aiman, those glowing towers might be one of the tallest Christmas decorations I fly past all December, your city really does things with style.
Santa, I have three questions.
Do you fill Christmas stockings? My cousin in England has one but we do not really use them here.
I do fill stockings wherever a family hangs one, Aiman, though I am just as happy leaving gifts under a tree or by a doorway if that suits your home better. The stocking is simply a container, the thought inside it is what really counts.
My teacher says Malaysia is home to people from many different backgrounds all living together. Is that true?
It is true, Aiman, Malaysia is wonderfully multicultural, with Malay, Chinese, Indian, and many other communities living side by side. Flying over Kuala Lumpur, I always notice mosques, temples, and churches practically neighbors to one another, a lovely reminder that different traditions can share the same street.
My teacher says Christmas is actually a public holiday in Malaysia even though most people are Muslim. Is that true?
It is true, Aiman, Christmas Day is an official public holiday in Malaysia, celebrated warmly alongside major Muslim, Hindu, and Chinese festivals throughout the year. That kind of shared respect for everyone’s celebrations is exactly the spirit I hope every child carries with them.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Aiman Hassan
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
P.S. Can I use a pillowcase instead of a stocking this year? Mine is much bigger.
Clever thinking, Aiman, I will not tell the stockings if you do not.
