by A curious girl in Mexico City asks Santa his age, what a volcano is, and how a year is measured
A Letter to Santa from Mexico City, Mexico
Dear Santa,
Hola Santa! My name is Sofia and I am 7 years old. I live in Mexico City with my parents and my abuela, and I love dancing and eating tamales at Christmas. I have always wondered: when were you born? How old are you really? My geography question is: what is a volcano? And my social studies question is: how do we measure a year on a calendar? Gracias, Santa!
Love, Sofia (age 7)
Santa’s Reply
Ho ho ho, hola Sofia! Tamales are one of my very favorite treats, so save me one if you can. You asked when I was born, and that is a tricky one to answer. I do not have a single birthday like you do. I grew slowly out of the story of Saint Nicholas, a kind man who is remembered every year on the sixth of December. But the cheerful Santa Claus you picture today took shape over many hundreds of years. So you could say I am both very, very old and forever ageless. I simply feel jolly, and that never changes.
Your geography question: what is a volcano
A volcano is a mountain with an opening that connects deep down to hot, melted rock inside the Earth. Sometimes that rock pushes up and bursts out as glowing lava. Your own Mexico has famous volcanoes, including the mighty Popocatepetl, which you can see near Mexico City. Read more at National Geographic Kids.
Your social studies question: how we measure a year
A year is the time it takes for the Earth to travel all the way around the Sun, which is about 365 days. People long ago noticed the seasons repeating and created calendars to keep track of the days, weeks, and months. Calendars help everyone agree on when to plant crops, when to rest, and of course, when to wait for Christmas. Explore more at Britannica Kids.
Dance an extra dance for me, Sofia. Yours warmly from the North Pole, Santa Claus.
