Blogger’s Note: Over Christmas 2003, we became annual pen-pals with an elf named Siberius Quill. Transcriptions of the 2003, 2004 and 2005 letters from him can be seen in the Archives. Here is the letter from 2006.

My dearest Children!

A very Merry Christmas to you all, Dear Children! Rest assured, your Wish Lists and Artwork arrived in fine form, and I must say, you are becoming Quite Accomplished as Artists! I shared your pictures with several Friends before passing them on to your Father Christmas. Dmitri Longbristle, an Elfin cookie-painter and candy-striper, loved them! (We laugh and call him “Drips,” although he reminds us that he never makes a mistake he can’t eat, so nobody’s ever seen one—truly!). Drips was most impressed, Master Brendan, with your steady hand and eye for detail.

As for you, Master Gabriel and Miss Emma Rose, my cousins Versius Goodcheer and Sketchum Quill, who design Christmas cards, said you should consider making cards Yourselves next year! Your dear Parents and Grandparents would love them, no doubt.

Santa loved them, as well, of course—and your Lists were quite reasonable. He is Especially Pleased that the four of you play so well together—even sharing in fine fashion with young Master Trevor. Don’t think it goes Unnoticed! Certainly, there are Things he cannot have—Things he would swallow and Things he would break—but he wants so badly to be like the Three of You. And I can’t think of three fine role models. Be good to him, that he may grow to be good, as well.

As always, of course, Santa brings What’s Best—so you’ll get some of What You Want, some Things you didn’t ask for, and some Things not at all. It can be hard to remember that Christmas, in all its radiant splendor, is not about Things a whit—but about Family, Humility, and Peace. If you are Lucky enough to have those things, give Thanks and be Content …

That’s a Hard Idea for young and budding Brains. Perhaps the eldest brother can explain? You’ve done well, B.—reading aloud my Old Letters so G. and “Rosie” (as the little one says) to teach them How and Why we do What we do. You may even have done too well! I was amazed to see not a Single Question this year!

I suspect that the younger Children will have fresh Concerns in the future. In the meantime, if you have Questions between now and Thanksgiving Next, do ask your Father. He is a good Resource on most things Santa, and loves the Spirit of Christmas that we Elves and Kris Kringle embody. And your lovely Mother—she embodies the Christmas before Bishop Nicholas was a Saint! As your parents’ Christmas Letter said, your “very own Mary,” a woman of God who lives for the Good of Others.

Happy Christmas and Safe Travels. May the Skies be blue, and the Earth, white, for your trip home. I wish you All the Best in the New Year—and Always!

God Bless You, Children, and your Family. Yours truly,

Siberius Quill

P.S. You’ve always taken an interest in my Elfin colleagues—tell your Dziadzi that our farrier, Frictz Grypsum, rubbed the hooves of the reindeer with a balm of bee’s wax, flint dust and mountain goat dander especially for rooftops as pitched as his!