by Andrei, age 8, writes to Santa from Sibiu, Romania, and asks how fast does santa’s sleigh go?
Dear Santa,
My name is Andrei, and I am 8 years old. I live in Sibiu, Romania, where his bunica says the eyes painted on the rooftops of the old houses are meant to watch over the town.
Dear Andrei, that is exactly the sort of detail I like to hear about Sibiu. 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 fast does Santa’s sleigh go? My mom and I were arguing about it at breakfast.
Fast enough to visit every child in every time zone in a single night, which my elves tell me is technically impossible, and which I have therefore stopped explaining and simply keep doing anyway.
Second, my teacher was telling us about the Carpathian foothills, which rise up just beyond the edge of his city. Do you fly over that on your Christmas Eve route?
Every single year, without fail. The carpathian foothills, which rise up just beyond the edge of his city 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 Romania? My family was talking about it and I want to know if it is real.
It certainly is true. In romania, a group of masked dancers called capra, meaning the goat, performs door to door during the winter holidays for good luck. I think that is a wonderful thing for a family to talk about, because customs like that are exactly what make Romania feel like Romania, 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, Andrei. Keep noticing the world around you, keep asking honest questions, and keep being kind to the people in Sibiu. That is the whole spirit of Christmas right there. Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Andrei
Sibiu, Romania
P.S. Does Mos Craciun ever visit Sibiu too, or is that only your job?
We split the map fairly evenly, and Mos Craciun handles that part of the world beautifully. Consider it a very old and very friendly arrangement.
