by Kai, age 7, writes to Santa from Hong Kong, China, and asks how old are you, santa?
Dear Santa,
My name is Kai, and I am 7 years old. I live in Hong Kong, China, where his ah-ma says the harbor lights up with a laser show every single night, Christmas or not.
Dear Kai, that is exactly the sort of detail I like to hear about Hong Kong. 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 old are you, Santa? My dad and I were arguing about it at breakfast.
I am considerably older than the calendar can keep track of, but my elves stopped counting candles somewhere around the invention of the printing press. Age is mostly a state of mind up here, and mine is set permanently to jolly.
Second, my grandpa was telling us about Victoria Harbour, the deep harbor that separates the two main halves of his city. Do you fly over that on your Christmas Eve route?
Every single year, without fail. Victoria harbour, the deep harbor that separates the two main halves 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 christmas is an official public holiday in Hong Kong? My family was talking about it and I want to know if it is real.
It certainly is true. Christmas is an official public holiday in hong kong, a legacy of the city’s history as a former british territory. I think that is a wonderful thing for a family to talk about, because customs like that are exactly what make China feel like China, 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, Kai. Keep noticing the world around you, keep asking honest questions, and keep being kind to the people in Hong Kong. That is the whole spirit of Christmas right there. Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Kai
Hong Kong, China
P.S. Does Shèngdàn Laorén ever visit Hong Kong too, or is that only your job?
We split the map fairly evenly, and Shèngdàn Laorén handles that part of the world beautifully. Consider it a very old and very friendly arrangement.
