by A young coder in Columbus asks when the Santa Claus rally happens, what a tributary is, and why Ohio has so many presidents
A Letter to Santa from Columbus, Ohio
Dear Santa,
Hi Santa! My name is Nolan and I am 9 years old. I live in Columbus, Ohio, the busy capital city in the heart of the Midwest. I love coding little games and playing chess. My question is: when does the Santa Claus rally happen? My geography question is: what is a tributary? And my social studies question is: why have so many presidents come from Ohio? Thanks, Santa!
Love, Nolan (age 9)
Santa’s Reply
Ho ho ho, hello Nolan! A young coder and chess player asks a precise question, so I will give a precise answer. The stock market Santa Claus rally usually happens in the last few trading days of December and the first couple of days of January, right around the holidays. That is the little window when share prices often tick upward. Nobody is completely sure why it happens, but since it lands at the merriest time of the whole year, people cheerfully borrowed my name for it. A bit of good news with a holiday bow on top.
Your geography question: what is a tributary
A tributary is a smaller river or stream that flows into a larger one, adding its water along the way. Your own Columbus sits where rivers meet, including the Scioto River, which is itself a tributary of the larger Ohio River. Think of tributaries as the many branches that feed a great river trunk, gathering water from far and wide. Read more at National Geographic Kids.
Your social studies question: Ohio’s presidents
Your own Ohio is sometimes nicknamed the Mother of Presidents because a surprising number of United States presidents were born or lived there, more than almost any other state. People are not entirely sure why, but Ohio’s central location and its mix of farms and growing cities long made it an important and busy part of the country. Explore more at Britannica Kids.
Win a clever game of chess for me, Nolan. Yours warmly from the North Pole, Santa Claus.
