by Priya, age 9 from Port Louis, Mauritius, asks Santa about Christmas plants, Mauritius’s isolated island location, and its religious harmony.
Dear Santa, my name is Priya, and I am nine years old. I live in Port Louis, Mauritius, where my daadi says our tiny island used to be home to a strange bird called the dodo that cannot be found anywhere else in the world anymore.
Dear Priya, the dodo has always fascinated me, and I like to think it would have made a wonderfully odd addition to my workshop, had it stuck around a little longer.
Santa, I have three questions.
What are Christmas plants? My teacher showed us holly and mistletoe but I want to know if there are more.
There are quite a few, Priya, holly with its red berries, mistletoe for hanging above doorways, ivy, and of course the bright red poinsettia. Each one has been part of Christmas decorating for a very long time, adding a little green and red magic to the season.
My teacher says Mauritius is a small island far out in the Indian Ocean. Is that true?
It is true, Priya, Mauritius sits alone in the Indian Ocean, quite far from any other large landmass. I always enjoy that long, quiet stretch of ocean flying in, a peaceful little island waiting at the end of it.
My daadi says people who practice Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism all live together here and celebrate each other’s holidays. Is that true?
It is true, Priya, Mauritius is known for its religious harmony, with many different faiths celebrating alongside one another, often joining in each other’s festivities out of genuine friendship. That kind of everyday togetherness across different beliefs is really one of my favorite things to witness anywhere on my route.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Priya Ramgoolam
Port Louis, Mauritius
P.S. Do you think the dodo would have liked Christmas?
I like to imagine it waddling curiously toward the cookies, Priya, much like most of my reindeer.
