by Bianca, age 8 from Rome, Italy, asks Santa about the 1985 Santa Claus movie, Vatican City, and Rome’s ancient ruins.
Dear Santa, my name is Bianca, and I am eight years old. I live in Rome, Italy, where my nonna says our whole city was actually built on top of seven different hills a very long time ago.
Dear Bianca, seven hills makes for quite the workout delivering presents, your nonna picked a truly historic hometown.
Santa, I have three questions.
Is the 1985 Santa Claus movie good? My papa says it is one of his favorites from when he was little.
It is a genuinely charming film, Bianca, full of old-fashioned wonder about the workshop and the magic behind Christmas Eve. Your papa has good taste, that one has stuck around in people’s hearts for a long time.
My nonna says a whole other country, Vatican City, sits right inside our own city. Is that true?
It is true, Bianca, Vatican City is its own tiny independent country, tucked entirely within Rome’s borders. I always enjoy that unusual bit of geography flying over your city, one country nested cozily inside another.
My nonna says a lot of very old Roman buildings and ruins are still standing today, right next to modern shops and homes. Is that true?
It is true, Bianca, ancient ruins stand proudly alongside busy modern streets all across Rome, old and new sharing the very same neighborhood. That kind of respect for history, living comfortably beside everyday life, is a beautiful thing to witness.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Bianca Ricci
Rome, Italy
P.S. Will you watch the 1985 movie with my papa this year?
I would be delighted to, Bianca, though I already know exactly how it ends.
