by Marisa, age 8 from Praia, Cape Verde, asks Santa about Christmas Under Wraps, Cape Verde’s volcanic islands, and its Portuguese Catholic heritage.
Dear Santa, my name is Marisa, and I am eight years old. I live in Praia, Cape Verde, where my avo says our whole country is actually a cluster of volcanic islands scattered out in the middle of the ocean.
Dear Marisa, a cluster of volcanic islands sounds like one of the most scenic stops on my entire African route, your avo picked a wonderfully unique hometown.
Santa, I have three questions.
Have you seen Christmas Under Wraps? My tia watches it every single December while wrapping presents.
I have seen a good number of cozy present-wrapping Christmas films over the years, Marisa, and your tia’s tradition of watching one while actually wrapping gifts sounds like the most efficient movie night I have ever heard of.
My teacher says Cape Verde is made up of several volcanic islands off the coast of West Africa. Is that true?
It is true, Marisa, Cape Verde is a whole archipelago of volcanic islands out in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal. I spend a good stretch of Christmas Eve simply island hopping across your beautiful stretch of sea.
My avo says a lot of Cape Verdean families are Catholic because of history connected to Portugal a long time ago. Is that true?
It is true, Marisa, Cape Verde was a Portuguese colony for centuries, and Catholic traditions took root here as a result, shaping much of the country’s Christmas celebrations today. History has a funny way of shaping a whole island’s traditions, doesn’t it?
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Marisa Silva
Praia, Cape Verde
P.S. Can you wrap my presents while watching a movie too, just like my tia?
I will try, Marisa, though the elves usually insist on handling the actual wrapping.
