winter

Greetings from the North Pole, Part III

/ J. Thorp / 1 Comment

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

My dearest Children!

Merry Christmas, all! It has been such a pleasure watching you grow — in Body, Mind and Spirit — this past year. Master Brendan, reading at a level far beyond his age; Master Gabriel, starting school, making friends, and working numbers in his head; and young Miss Emma, ever the Angel, blossoming into such a lovely little princess. And Master Trevor! Up and walking, a whirlwind of smiles and mild destruction! Don’t get too frustrated, Friends — he won’t be a toddler forever!

You may wonder how it is that I’ve been watching you this past year, when I’m a Correspondent and not a Watcher at all. The truth of the Matter is that, since I’m assigned to you, I can periodically check in — the Watchers have a magic Glass, like a periscope, that I can use to look in on you and see what you’re about, just by swivel it about three complete times and saying, “I spy with my Little Eye … the Thorp children!” I also have Snow Globe that does the same, although not as clearly or closely — I shake it, say a few words, and in a flurry I’m gazing down on Your Neighborhood, watching you walk to the bus stop or play in the yard.

Which brings me to one of your questions this year: What days does Santa check The List? The List is maintained year-round but the Elves in the Watchers Corps, who monitor every child and update their notes daily. The Old Man can check in on the Watchers whenever he wants, as can the Watchers check in on you — but most Children warrant only an occasional peek a few times throughout the year, at those times when Naughtiness is most tempting — around Bedtime, say, or on the Way to School, when Mom and Dad aren’t around. As I told Miss Emma last year, it takes a Great Deal of Naughtiness to wind up on that list, and with Parents as demanding as yours, you’ve little to worry about! Listen to them, Children! They love you and will help you on Your Own Way!

Ah! I’m rambling! As the song says, Father Christmas checks the list twice: for your country, once between Halloween and Thanksgiving (some children are bound to be Naughty on All Hallows Eve!) and again between Thanksgiving and Christmas (while most Little Ones get increasing Excitable and forget their Manners as Christmas approaches, some Bad Seeds take root and bear fruit in that last month, in Hope the St. Nicholas soon will be there!

As for the Old Man’s name: St. Nicholas, as he was originally, was a Catholic bishop (like your Harry Flynn, if I’m not mistaken) long ago, who secretly left money and treats for the poor by hiding things in their shoes, leaving them on their windowsills or dropping them down their chimneys. The Dutch called St. Nicholas “Sint Nicolaas” and “Sinterclaas” — this latter name became Santa Claus in America. The English call him Father Christmas, which the French say “Pere Noel.” And people the World Around call him Kris Kringle, which is derived from “Chistkind” or “Christ Child” — a reminder that Jesus is Born this Day! Like the Magi, He delivers Gifts and Blessings to our future Kings and Queens, the Children of the World!

You’ve also asked how long it takes to make All Those Toys, and how Santa can visit all Children in One Night. Remember, we no longer make all the toys — we’ve no skill for making Computer Games and such! But with So Many children, we build, order, test, bind and protect toys year-round. Those children Less Fortunate than you, who don’t have toys, or clothes, or even enough food to eat, get what attention we can give to them even in the Summer. So we’re always Very Busy! We keep up the Same Way old St. Nick does: Hard Work and Handy Winks.

I suspect you understand Hard Work as well can be expected for your age. Handy Winks are what Your Parents might refer to as doing something “In the Blink of an Eye!” It’s magic, really — So Much of Life is spent with our eyes closed (sleeping, blinking, sneezing and prayer!) that Santa conjured a spell to help us work Super-Quickly when our eyes are closed! We can accomplish more in a blink that most Folks do in an hour!

Tremendous questions! I so enjoy sharing with you. A note about Gifts: You will not find Everything you asked for this year — other Children have Greater Need, and certain of the games and movies you’d like, Master G., aren’t appropriate for you yet. Still and all, I suspect you’ll be pleased!

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

Quill

P.S. So you’re amateur Stargazers, now, eh? Wonderful! Our Chief Astronomer and Navigator, Nebular Farseer, bids you Clear Skies!

Greetings from the North Pole, Part II

/ J. Thorp / 5 Comments

Blogger’s Note: Over Christmas 2003, we became annual pen-pals with an elf named Siberius Quill. Transcriptions of our first correspondence from him can be seen in the Archives (the week of 11/25). Here is the letter from 2004.

* * * * *

24 December 2004
The Night Before Christmas

My dearest Children!

At last! the Blessed Day has arrived to find all Four of you on the Good List (despite your mother’s teasing). Well done! I trust you will be pleased with your Many Gifts. Although it is not everything you asked for, young Masters, the Old Man (Santa, of course) made doubly sure to bring you that One Special Gift you wanted most. Use your duel disks well and wisely, and take care of them — they are quick to break if mistreated!

Master Brendan: So much of what you wish for is meant for Older Children. The games, especially, are not for you — not yet! Be patient, Young One, and don’t try to grow up too fast! Enjoy being a child while you are still young. The same for you, Master Gabriel. Soon you’ll be in school. Enjoy your time at home with your Mother, Sister and Baby Brother — for once you’ve grown up, you will miss it!

Emma — you’ve got a mischievous streak in you, but not nearly enough to be labeled “Naughty.” (It takes quite a bit to actually get on the Naughty list…) You’d make quite the Elf were your ears pointed. Unfortunately they aren’t — and you’re already the size of full-grown Elf. Keep growing, and next Christmas you’ll be bigger than me!

Now to your questions. All of the things you are wondering about are quite common questions from kids as they get older. The Truth, of course, is that Magic is terribly hard to explain to you who are not surrounded by it daily — to us, Magic is commonplace. Before Santa was Santa, he was St. Nicholas — the Bishop of Myra, whose faith in God brought forth miracles through him. Brendan, you asked how Kris Kringle can circle the globe in a single night. Put simply, he believes he can and he does what he must. Certainly the reindeer are fleet of foot, and of course not everyone believes in Santa Claus, so he need not stop everywhere. But where he goes, he goes quickly, like the Winter Wind — slipping down chimneys, through keyholes and beneath doors; everywhere and nowhere at once. How did he get this job? By being Himself! He is Santa as Santa is him. No other Saint, no man or Elf, can do what he does — he is the One, the Only, Father Christmas; the Spirit of the Season dressed all in fur. He takes on many appearances and has many helpers, both here at the Pole and living among all of you — but there is only one Santa, and Santa is he!

And you, Gabriel, asked how Santa gets down smallish chimneys and how we Elves can build toys so fast. St. Nick, you may know, comes in all shapes and sizes — tall as a Lord and slender, or short and plump; tiny as an Elf or big and strong as an ox. He takes whatever form suits him best in his work, and would appear to you as you picture him in your head. As for chimneys — they are of little concern, as he can change shapes, and whisks down them like a draught of winter wind, rising lazily out again as smoke!

As for the toys, you may have guessed that, with So Many children and so many toys, we no longer make everything by hand. We specialize in the Art of Toy-making — wood-work and painting and sewing and the like — and our Elvish toys go mainly to the youngest and neediest children. All are blessed by the Old Man himself, and sealed with Spells of Finding and Mending, so they are never lost for long and are easy fixed if broken. Let’s see — you also asked how we Elves get our jobs. The short answer is by being Elves! Like Santa, we do what Elves do, and that’s work Christmas magic. Of course, we are born into the Family Business, as they say — so that I am a Elfin Correspondent — a writer — like my forefathers.

As for other Elves, Brendan — your Father has kept last year’s letter safe — it contains the names of many of my family. My own Dear Wife is Grace Quill, formerly Goodcheer, whose family has long been Keepers of Christmas Spirit. I will share two more with you, as they seem Particularly Important given the weather in Minnesota this week. Kelter Skiff, my Good Friend, engineers the runners for Santa’s sleigh, such that they glide over even the slightest hint of snow, or even a frosty shingle! And of course, Flurious Windwatcher, our head meteorologist, has his eyes on the skies like your Father, watching for snow. Old Windy is never short of opinions or grumblings, but he’s the best in the business!

God Bless You, Children, and your Family. Travel safely!

Yours truly,

Quill

P.S. Happy Christmas, and a joyous New Year to you all!

Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

/ J. Thorp / 5 Comments

For most of the day today, it’s been in the single digits and windy. Now, it’s safe to say that at some point, my neck of the woods will be roughly 30 degrees colder than today – and we fortunate souls with warm homes and long johns will survive, as we have in winters past. But that doesn’t change the fact that this first blast of long, dark winter is always a shock to the system.

For me, the shock is more defibrillation than electrocution, however. Think about it: You step through the door and the cold sends a shudder the length of you; you blink, bewildered, in the blinding light and gasp as the wind steals your first breath; your extremities tingle and throb – and in that moment, just for a second, you wish for a swift return to warm, dark oblivion.

Then your eyes adjust, and the world comes into cold focus. You look around in wonder at the bright, pale sky; the glittering grass. Each breath now is a victory, a swirling prayer of thanksgiving drifting skyward. The skin on your cheeks shrinks to a tight smile, and every stiff motion, each hurried step, calls to a sleeping world, I live.

Not for long, however, if you stay out here. To work, then!

Greetings from the North Pole, Part I

/ J. Thorp / 2 Comments

Blogger’s Note: Back in 2003, our children mailed their letters to Santa Claus very late and were quite concerned that he might not realize we would be traveling on Christmas. Prior to that winter, Santa had always left a short handwritten letter near the cookie plate, but with more kids and more questions, he found himself in need of assistance. (After all, he is a busy man this time of year.) Several days before Christmas, we found a card on our mantle, and Christmas morning, a letter marked with a script S, but not for Santa! I’ve transcribed them to share, in hopes of spreading holiday cheer and bolstering belief.

* * * * *

16 December 2003

My dear Thorp children,

Of course we can deliver your presents on Christmas Eve Day — why, your mother used to receive her presents every year on Christmas Eve! We try to accommodate all Holiday travel plans (within reason), for there is nothing more important than Family at Christmas!

So rest easy these next few nights! Know that your letter was very well received — Santa loves to hear from his children, and especially appreciates your Honesty about those times you’ve been less than perfect. We will compare your Wish List against what we’ve prepared for you, but remember! Santa knows best what you need, and often has his own ideas. You may not get everything you’ve asked for, but I am certain you will be Very Happy on the morning of December 24!

Merry Christmas Brendan, Gabriel and Emma!

Siberius Quill
Elf Correspondent

* * * * *

23 December 2003
The Eve of Christmas Eve

Dearest Children!

Happy Christmas to you all! How fortunate that I should be assigned to your family, for I am the Very Elf who wrote you just a week ago to tell you your Santa Letter was not in vain. (Of course, no such letter ever is!) Ah! I am reminded that you are all so Very Young — I must think more slowly and write more simply. And as you are a New Family, and this is your first letter from a Correspondent, I should introduce myself…

So I shall! I am Siberius Quill III, a Correspondent in Santa’s Letter Corps and fifth-generation Elfin Scribe. I am to be your Personal Contact and Pen-Pal here at the North Pole for as long as you will have me. You see, when human children reach the age at which they begin writing letters, lists and questions for Santa — when he can no longer hand-write a note to you over cookies and milk — we Correspondents take over. Like your Father, my talent lies in language. Let the other Elves make toys; I’ve no knack for tools!

Unlike your Father, however, I am descended from a long and proud line of Writers. My great-grandfather, Siberius the Old, personally penned Mr. Kringle’s first List of Names. (That was long centuries ago, however — several Great Uncles, Uncles and Cousins now compile the names, but The Old Man still has a nose for telling naughty from nice!) My grandfather, Siberius II, is Santa’s Chief Calligrapher, and my father, Scribner Quill, teaches Foreign Penmanship — Japanese, Arabic and the like. My mother’s kin are Writers, too — her father, Brevity Parchment, heads the Tags and Greetings division.

We Correspondents are good for more than just lists and letters, Children — as you get older and wiser, you will likely have fewer questions about What Santa does, and more and more questions about Why and How he does it. Consider me your Primary Resource regarding All Things Christmas — I will do my level best to tell you everything I can! Of course, not even the Elves know everything Pere Noel is about — but what I know I will share, because sharing is one of the simplest Good Deeds you can do. Remember that!

Now then — you’ve asked me no questions, boys, but you did ask your Father one, didn’t you, Master Brendan? Let me see — I believe you wanted to know what happens should children like Yourselves awaken when Santa is about! Your Father told you what he thought, and it’s exactly so — old Santa smiles at them, his eyes a-twinkle; places his pointing finger to his lips, and shhh! Out they go, like an Advent Candle, to sleep deeply and dream pleasant dreams — remembering nothing, or almost nothing, of what they think they’ve seen. Ah, but your Dad remembers — buried in his head are the unconscious thoughts and waking dreams of the Little Boy he used to be. He remembers!

Master Gabriel, I must mention that Santa was most Impressed and Flattered that you wanted a red fur suit for Christmas, to match your Christmas hat, no doubt. Though you’d make quite a strapping elf, you are not quite tall enough for the robes of St. Nicholas, nor round enough to fill Santa’s trousers. Keep growing, young Master, and you’ll make a fine Father Christmas yet.

All our Love to Emma and your Mother and — Can this be? — a new Baby on the way? Bless my soul, but you’ll keep me busy. A fine, Big Family indeed! Happy Christmas, Young Ones — may God bless you and your family as He blessed us all those many years ago, in a Bethlehem stable, in the hay. And a Happy New Year, too!

Your Most Sincerely,

Siberius Quill

P.S. If you like, you may call me Quill!

* * * * *

As Christmas draws nearer, perhaps I’ll transcribe the others we’ve received over the years.