by Bence, age 9 from Budapest, Hungary, asks Santa about Christmas 2026, the Danube River, and Hungary’s history of great thinkers.
Dear Santa, my name is Bence, and I am nine years old. I live in Budapest, Hungary, where my nagyi says our city is actually two older cities, Buda and Pest, joined together by beautiful bridges over the river.
Dear Bence, two cities joined by bridges sounds like a wonderfully clever bit of teamwork, and those bridges make for a lovely glowing landing strip every December.
Santa, I have three questions.
What will Christmas 2026 be like? My little sister keeps asking and nobody in my family has a good answer.
I never predict the details too far in advance, Bence, part of the magic is letting each Christmas surprise us a little. What I can promise is warm homes, good company, and plenty of reasons to smile, same as every year before it.
My nagyi says a big river called the Danube splits our city right down the middle. Is that true?
It is true, Bence, the Danube flows right between Buda and Pest, and the bridges connecting them, especially the Chain Bridge, glow beautifully at night. I always follow that river glow to find my way to your rooftop.
My nagyi says Hungary has a long history of important thinkers and scientists coming from Budapest. Is that true?
It is true, Bence, Hungary and Budapest in particular have produced an impressive number of important scientists, mathematicians, and thinkers over the centuries. That spirit of curiosity and hard work is a wonderful thing to celebrate, right alongside the warmth of the season.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Bence Nagy
Budapest, Hungary
P.S. Will Christmas 2026 have extra snow, just for me?
I will put in a good word with the weather, Bence, though even I cannot make guarantees on snowfall.
