by Chiara, age 8 from Vatican City, asks Santa about 90s Christmas style, being the world’s smallest country, and the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass.
Dear Santa, my name is Chiara, and I am eight years old. I live in Vatican City, where my nonno says our whole country is so small that you could walk from one end to the other in under an hour.
Dear Chiara, the smallest country in the world makes for one of the quickest, most meaningful stops on my entire route, and I always take my time there anyway.
Santa, I have three questions.
Do you like 90s Christmas? My nonno says the decorations here have looked pretty much the same for a very long time, way before I was even born.
I have a soft spot for 90s Christmas style, Chiara, and your nonno is right that some decorations, especially here, have stayed beautifully consistent for far longer than just one decade. Some traditions are simply too good to change.
My teacher says Vatican City is the smallest country in the entire world, by both size and population. Is that true?
It is true, Chiara, Vatican City is the smallest sovereign country on Earth, both in land area and in the number of people who live there. I always find it remarkable how much history and meaning fit into such a small space.
My nonno says every Christmas Eve, an enormous Midnight Mass happens right here, watched by people all over the world. Is that true?
It is true, Chiara, the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass held here draws worshippers and viewers from across the entire globe, one of the most widely watched religious celebrations of the whole season. That shared moment, so many people pausing together at once, is really a beautiful thing to witness from the sleigh.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Chiara Rossi
Vatican City
P.S. Do you slow down extra for the Midnight Mass?
Every year, Chiara, some moments deserve a proper pause.
