by Sora, age 8, writes to Santa from Sapporo, Japan, and asks what does santa eat on christmas eve?
Dear Santa,
My name is Sora, and I am 8 years old. I live in Sapporo, Japan, where his obaachan says the annual snow festival buries the whole city in sculptures made of packed snow.
Dear Sora, that is exactly the sort of detail I like to hear about Sapporo. It tells me you are paying close attention to the world around you, which is a fine habit to keep. Please keep noticing things like that.
Santa, I have three questions. First, what does Santa eat on Christmas Eve? My mom and I were arguing about it at breakfast.
Whatever kind souls like you leave out for me, which by the end of the night adds up to an enormous and slightly alarming variety of cookies, milk, and the occasional carrot for the reindeer.
Second, my teacher was telling us about Mount Yotei, the volcano that watches over his city like a smaller cousin of Mount Fuji. Do you fly over that on your Christmas Eve route?
Every single year, without fail. Mount yotei, the volcano that watches over his city like a smaller cousin of mount fuji is one of the sights the reindeer look forward to most, and I always tell the newer reindeer to watch closely as we pass over, because there are not many views in the whole wide world quite like it. Rudolph tends to slow down just a little right there, and I have learned not to rush him.
Third, is it true that in Japan? My family was talking about it and I want to know if it is real.
It certainly is true. In japan, christmas eve is considered a romantic holiday for couples, while new year is reserved for visiting family and shrines. I think that is a wonderful thing for a family to talk about, because customs like that are exactly what make Japan feel like Japan, and they are precisely the sort of thing that keeps a community close together, especially in the winter months.
Thank you for your letter and your good questions, Sora. Keep noticing the world around you, keep asking honest questions, and keep being kind to the people in Sapporo. That is the whole spirit of Christmas right there. Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Sora
Sapporo, Japan
P.S. Does Hoteiosho ever visit Sapporo too, or is that only your job?
We split the map fairly evenly, and Hoteiosho handles that part of the world beautifully. Consider it a very old and very friendly arrangement.
