Many Rye High School students fondly remember writing letters to Santa. Some put their letters in the mailbox, while others gave them to their parents to “deliver”. A few even burned the letters, hoping that Santa was somehow fluent in smoke signals.
By Miranda van Dijk
Many Rye High School students fondly remember writing letters to Santa. Some put their letters in the mailbox, while others gave them to their parents to “deliver”. A few even burned the letters, hoping that Santa was somehow fluent in smoke signals.
While the magic of Santa has faded for most of us, there is still a very good reason to send out letters. This time around, however, students are writing from a different angle. They’re playing the role of Santa, or one of his many helpers.
Every year, Rye Recreation runs the “Dear Santa” event, setting up festive mailboxes at Rye Rec and downtown on the corner of Elm Place and Purchase Street. From December 1-16, Rye children and those from surrounding towns drop their Santa letters in these boxes. Rye Rec’s Erin Riedel, the project supervisor, then picks up the letters and delivers them to Rye High School.
During their free periods, RHS students can earn community service hours by coming into the guidance department to handwrite personalized responses. Writing as elves, Mrs. Claus, or even Santa himself, it’s clear the process makes the students feel like children again.
“It’s fun to read about their hopes for Christmas,” said junior Anna Norman. “I love when they ask Santa how his year has been.”
Ms. Ragone, who oversees the letter writing at RHS, added, “I get a kick out of listening to students read letters to one other, then sharing some of their favorite memories.”
Once the letters are signed, the responses are brought back to Rye Rec, and sent out to all the children who wrote the big guy.
“This is one of my favorite events and I believe one of the students’ as well,” said Ms. Riedel. “They remember getting their letters as children and how happy it made them, and now they get to turn around and give that feeling to someone else.”
