by Ani, age 8 from Yerevan, Armenia, asks Santa about Christmas stores, Mount Ararat, and Armenia’s early adoption of Christianity.
Dear Santa, my name is Ani, and I am eight years old. I live in Yerevan, Armenia, where my tatik says on a clear day you can see a giant snowy mountain from almost anywhere in the city, even though it is actually in a different country.
Dear Ani, a mountain visible from an entire city, even across a border, might be one of the most striking views on my whole route.
Santa, I have three questions.
Is there a Christmas store near me? My cousin wants ornaments but we are not sure where to look.
There likely is, Ani, most cities keep a shop or market corner stocked with ornaments this time of year. If you cannot find one nearby, a simple homemade ornament, paper and a little glue, works just as beautifully on the tree.
My tatik says Mount Ararat, the mountain we can see, is actually across the border in Turkey. Is that true?
It is true, Ani, Mount Ararat sits just across the border in Turkey, though it remains deeply important to Armenian history and culture, visible right from your own city skyline. I always take a slower pass near it, out of respect for how much it means to the people who see it every day.
My tatik says Armenia was one of the very first countries in the world to officially adopt Christianity. Is that true?
It is true, Ani, Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion, all the way back in the early 4th century. That long, deep history is part of why Christmas and other Christian holidays are celebrated with such care and tradition here.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Ani Petrosyan
Yerevan, Armenia
P.S. Can you wave at Mount Ararat for me on your way past?
I will give it a proper hello, Ani, mountains appreciate good manners too.
