Dear Santa…

My family and I were spending a nice Christmas vacation in a small rural community when my wife Mary looked up over the local newspaper to ask me “what’s an Xbox 360?”

I was curious why she asked so she explained to me that she was reading the published letters to Santa from the local 2nd grade class. “Let me see that” I responded and I began to browse the letters…

“Dear Santa, I want an Xbox 360, a skateboard, a Wii, Tech decks, High School Musical 2 Sing it for a PS2, a Razor Scooter and a cell phone for Christmas. How are Rudolph, Donner, Dasher and Blitzen?”

“Dear Santa, Eat my chicken and cookies too. I want an Xbox 360 and a Wii and a snow board for my brother. For me I want a dirt bike and a quad and a Mustang and a Corvette.”

“Dear Santa, I want to see your reindeer and you wife, Mrs. Claus and your elves and Rudolph, Dasher and you. I will have your milk and cookies and I will leave milk and cookies for Mrs. Claus. I want an Xbox 360 and an MP3 player too.

“Dear Santa, I want a Play Station 3 and a new game and new psp game”

“Dear Santa, How have you been doing? I think I will bake you some cookies and leave you some milk. I have been good. I think I would like an I-pod, a Nintendo DS, a phone, and some video games from my play station.

“Dear Santa, I want an Xbox 360. I want a dirt bike. I want real Vampire teeth. I really want a carburetor for my four-wheeler.”

“Dear Santa, How are you doing? How is Mrs. Claus? How old are you? How are the reindeer? How are the elves? I remember when I saw you at Manny’s II. You gave me a candy cane. I would like a Play Station 3 for Christmas.”

“Dear Santa, How’s Rudolph doing? How are the elves doing? How are the elves doing at making the toys? How is Mrs. Claus doing? Can you get me some PS2 games, a PSP, some coal for my tractors, and 2 rap CD’s? I’ll leave you some milk and cookies.”

“Dear Santa, Is it cold in the North Pole? Has Jack Frost come yet? How does Mrs. Claus make candy canes? I want a Play Station 2. My brother would like one too.”

“Dear Santa, How have you been? I have tried to be good. Can you please get me a Barbie car and a radio and a PSP? How are your reindeer? Can you get my brother a PSP? Thank you. I might leave some cookies and milk.”

“Dear Santa, How are your elves going? I get to go to both my Grandma and Grandpa’s house! You will have a busy Christmas, don’t you think? I hope everyone gets what they want. I want a B.B. gun like my dad, a PSP, Lego Star Wars – The Complete Saga, a rap CD, a TV for my room, a Smack Down VS Raw game, and a dirt bike.”

If I believed in Santa I might have written… “Dear Santa, A Kaiser Family Foundation Study released a couple of years ago found that children’s lives are saturated with media averaging 8 ½ hours a day. Don’t you think things have gotten a little out of hand? How about some sleds for the snow or some good books to read? Maybe a board game to encourage the family to spend some time together? Jump ropes? Yo-yo’s? After all, this is the second grade class. What’s more important to you, being popular with the kids or being a good role model? It’s just some food for thought… I’ll leave you a plate of cookies.”

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