by A kayaker in Seattle asks if Santa is Turkish, what a sound is, and what a totem pole represents
A Letter to Santa from Seattle, Washington
Dear Santa,
Hi Santa! My name is Liam and I am 9 years old. I live in Seattle, Washington, a green, rainy city by the water with a giant mountain on the horizon. I love kayaking and reading about faraway places. My question is: is Santa Claus Turkish? My geography question is: what is a sound, like Puget Sound? And my social studies question is: what is a totem pole and what does it represent? Thanks, Santa!
Love, Liam (age 9)
Santa’s Reply
Ho ho ho, hello Liam! A kayaker who reads about faraway places asks a sharp question. The answer is interesting. The real man I grew from, Saint Nicholas, was born in a town called Patara, which today lies within the country of Turkey. So in a way, my very beginnings are rooted in Turkish soil. But over many centuries, my story traveled through Greece, the Netherlands, England, and America, gathering new traditions everywhere it went. So I am not exactly Turkish, but my oldest roots do reach back to that warm seaside land.
Your geography question: what is a sound
A sound is a large arm of the sea that reaches inland, often with land close on both sides. Your own Seattle sits beside Puget Sound, a beautiful waterway perfect for kayaking, ferries, and watching for orcas. A sound is wider and more open than a narrow strait, making a calm home for boats and sea life. Read more at National Geographic Kids.
Your social studies question: totem poles
A totem pole is a tall wooden pole carved with figures of animals and people, made by Native peoples of the Pacific Northwest, including the region around your own Seattle. Each carving tells a story, honors ancestors, or marks an important family or event. Totem poles are a proud and skillful way of recording history in wood. Explore more at Britannica Kids.
Paddle somewhere beautiful for me, Liam. Yours warmly from the North Pole, Santa Claus.
