by A girl in Albuquerque asks if a Santa visit costs money, what a mesa is, and what adobe is
A Letter to Santa from Albuquerque, New Mexico
Dear Santa,
Hola Santa! My name is Elena and I am 8 years old. I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a high desert city with pink sunsets and hot air balloons floating overhead. I love painting and watching the balloons. My question is: how much does Santa Claus cost? Does a visit from you cost money? My geography question is: what is a mesa? And my social studies question is: what is adobe, and why is it used in the desert? Gracias, Santa!
Love, Elena (age 8)
Santa’s Reply
Ho ho ho, hola Elena! A balloon-watching painter lives in just the right colorful place. You asked how much I cost, and here is the happy answer: a visit from the real me on Christmas Eve is completely free, and it always will be. You may have noticed that helper Santas at parties and events sometimes charge a fee for their time, and the price changes from place to place, so families ask and it varies. But the real magic, the spirit of giving that I bring, never costs a single penny. The best gifts of all are free.
Your geography question: what is a mesa
A mesa is a hill or small mountain with a flat top and steep, cliff-like sides, common in the deserts of your own New Mexico. The word mesa means table in Spanish, because the flat top looks a bit like a tabletop. Mesas form slowly as wind and water wear away the softer rock around a tough, flat cap. Read more at National Geographic Kids.
Your social studies question: what is adobe
Adobe is a building material made from sun-dried bricks of mud and straw, used for thousands of years in your own New Mexico, especially by the Pueblo peoples. Thick adobe walls keep homes cool in the hot desert days and warm in the chilly nights. Many beautiful old adobe buildings still stand today, glowing softly in the desert light. Explore more at Britannica Kids.
Paint a balloon for me, Elena. Yours warmly from the North Pole, Santa Claus.
