by A stargazer in Bozeman asks which day Santa comes, what the Continental Divide is, and why bison mattered to Plains peoples
A Letter to Santa from Bozeman, Montana
Dear Santa,
Hi Santa! My name is Violet and I am 7 years old. I live in Bozeman, Montana, in Big Sky Country, with huge mountains and even bigger skies. I love horseback riding and looking at the stars. My question is: which day does Santa Claus come? My geography question is: what is the Continental Divide? And my social studies question is: why were bison so important to the Plains Native peoples? Thanks, Santa!
Love, Violet (age 7)
Santa’s Reply
Ho ho ho, hello Violet! A stargazer under those big Montana skies asks a good question about days. My biggest day is Christmas Eve, the night of the twenty-fourth of December, when I fly all around the world delivering gifts. Then children wake to find them on Christmas Day, the twenty-fifth. There is also Saint Nicholas Day, on the sixth of December, which honors the kind saint I grew from. So a few days are special to me, but Christmas Eve is my busiest and most magical night of all.
Your geography question: the Continental Divide
The Continental Divide is an imaginary line that runs along the high peaks of the mountains, including through your own Montana. On one side of the line, rivers flow toward one ocean, and on the other side, they flow toward a different ocean. It is like a great ridge that decides which way the rainwater will travel. Read more at National Geographic Kids.
Your social studies question: the importance of bison
Bison, the huge shaggy animals of the plains, were deeply important to the Plains Native peoples, including those of your own Montana. The bison provided food, warm hides for clothing and shelter, and tools made from bone. They were treated with great respect and gratitude, and they were central to the way of life and culture of many nations. Explore more at Britannica Kids.
Ride beneath the big sky for me, Violet. Yours warmly from the North Pole, Santa Claus.
