Christmas amid coronavirus: Letters to Santa show pandemic’s effects on children

The United States Postal Services is continuing its annual Operation Santa program, sharing letters to Santa from children around the country.

Through the program, hopeful children who write Father Christmas have a chance to get their letters scanned and shared via USPS, and people can adopt a letter then anonymously send gifts to families in need.

This year’s letters reveal the effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic on children across the nation.

“Dear Santa, Merry Almost X-mas! I know you are busy, but I hope you can read this letter. It is from me and my brother,” 5-year-old Andy wrote. “We both have been very good. Sometimes we fight, but still love each other. We would like a Nintendo Switch to share. I know it is a lot of money so it’s OK if we don’t get one. Thank you, Santa! I wish covid was over so we can hug.”

“Dear Santa, please make coronavirus go away,” 4-year-old Barron wrote.

“My school is closed so I have it at home. I have not had a good year,” 11-year-old Lilly wrote. “My grampa died, and I could not see him because of covid. I miss him and his big hugs. Santa, can you bring grammy a puppy so she is not so lonely?”

“Please help all the kids and families,” she wrote. “It is hard because many moms and dads are home and cant work.”

Kimberly, 13, asked for gifts for her parents.

“This year has (been) tough to all of us due to covid-19. My stepdad is the only (one) working and because of covid-19 he had to stop working full time,” she wrote. “Now he is working less because of covid, and all the money he gets is for paying the rent and the bills,” she wrote. “My parents think I am writing this for my siblings and I, but I want to surprise them for everything that they have done this year.”

“I really believe in you,” she added. “Thank you in advance and God bless you with happiness and health.”

Savannah, a girl from Massachusetts, wrote about the difficulties of behaving amid the pandemic.

“I’m sorry if I’ve been bad. It’s really hard because of covid-19 and online school,” she wrote. “I’m trying to be good. Hope you understand.”

Other children asked for masks and world peace.

“What I read in these letters is that kids really are thinking about the needs of their parent or the world and not just their own desires this year -- though of course some kids are asking for the gifts they want this year, which is to be expected” child psychologist Avital Cohen told CNN.

“The program has always been about providing holiday gifts for families who may not have the means to provide for anything more than basic everyday needs,” Kimberly Frum, a spokeswoman for the USPS told People magazine. “This year, there are likely more families impacted financially and emotionally.”

As of Saturday morning, more than 20,000 letters had been adopted, according to USPS. The agency plans to add more letters for adoption in its final week of the program.

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