by A boy in Santa Fe asks how Santa was made, what the highest state capital is, and why Santa Fe is the oldest capital
A Letter to Santa from Santa Fe, New Mexico
Dear Santa,
Hola Santa! My name is Hank and I am 8 years old. I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a high desert city of adobe houses and golden sunsets, with a name that even sounds a little like yours! I love hiking and painting the mountains. My question is: how was Santa Claus made? My geography question is: what is the highest state capital in the USA? And my social studies question is: why is Santa Fe the oldest capital city in the country? Gracias, Santa!
Love, Hank (age 8)
Santa’s Reply
Ho ho ho, hola Hank! What a perfect question to wrap things up, from a city whose name sounds like mine. I was not made in any factory. I was made slowly, over many centuries, by countless kind people. I was made from the true story of a generous saint, from old traditions carried across the sea, from a cheerful poem that gave me my reindeer and sleigh, and from the warm imaginations of families everywhere. Each generation added a little more love, until the jolly Santa you know was complete. And here is the loveliest part: in a way, I am still being made, just a little, every single time someone gives with a kind heart, including yours.
Your geography question: the highest state capital
Your own Santa Fe is the highest state capital in the entire United States, sitting more than 7,000 feet above sea level, high in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The thin mountain air is crisp and clear, and snow can dust the rooftops in winter, even in a desert state. Read more at National Geographic Kids.
Your social studies question: the oldest capital
Your own Santa Fe is the oldest state capital city in the country, founded more than 400 years ago, long before the United States even existed. Its long history is a rich blend of Native American, Spanish, and Mexican cultures, which you can still see in its adobe buildings, its art, and its traditions today. Santa Fe truly is a living piece of history. Explore more at Britannica Kids.
Paint a golden sunset for me, Hank. Yours warmly from the North Pole, Santa Claus.
