by A history-loving boy in Philadelphia asks when Santa died, what the Delaware River is, and about the Declaration of Independence
A Letter to Santa from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dear Santa,
Hi Santa! My name is Benjamin and I am 9 years old. I live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a city packed with history, where America itself got its start. I love history books and playing the drums. My question is: when did Santa Claus die? My geography question is: what is the Delaware River? And my social studies question is: what is the Declaration of Independence? Thanks, Santa!
Love, Benjamin (age 9)
Santa’s Reply
Ho ho ho, hello Benjamin! A history reader in the birthplace of America asks a thoughtful question, so I will give you an honest answer. I myself have not died, and I have no plans to. But the real man I grew from, Saint Nicholas, did pass away long, long ago, around the year 343, after a life full of quiet kindness and secret gifts. Yet here is the wonderful part: even though Saint Nicholas died centuries ago, his goodness never did. It lived on in stories, grew over time, and became the cheerful Santa who writes to you today.
Your geography question: the Delaware River
The Delaware River flows along the edge of your own Philadelphia and forms part of the border between several states. It has been an important waterway for trade and travel since long before the country was founded. Famously, General George Washington once crossed it on a cold winter night during the Revolution. Read more at National Geographic Kids.
Your social studies question: the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a famous document signed right in your own Philadelphia long ago. In it, the American colonies declared that they would be a free and independent country, no longer ruled by a faraway king. It is one of the most important papers in the nation’s history, and its ideas about freedom still matter today. Explore more at Britannica Kids.
Play a strong drumbeat for me, Benjamin. Yours warmly from the North Pole, Santa Claus.
