Here's my letter to Santa Claus for 2015 going forwards ...
(Part of the Letters Live project celebrating National Letter Writing Day)
Dear Santa,
It’s been a very long time since I’ve reached out to you on a personal basis. Just me — to you, so to speak. The fact is, I only believed in you until I was about 6 years old, so once it dawned on me that you were the central figure in a collusion between parents and toy manufacturers all over the Western world, there seemed to be little point in writing to you anymore. So — over five decades later — It’s me again, writing to the wonderfully jolly mythical persona with the white beard and red costume, carrying sacks of toys through the night sky on a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer!
I’ve tried to be a “good person” this year, but life has its challenges and I’m not sure whether I’ve come up to scratch. That being said — I don’t want jewellery, cameras, watches, perfume, bubble bath, socks, chocolates, handbags, scarves, gloves, ornaments or anything “material” at all in fact. I have everything I could possibly wish for, so I don’t want any more “stuff”. If there’s anything I might request, it would be something completely different.
— Could you think of a way to create long lasting, sustainable peace on this planet, so that millions of children could live happy, healthy lives?
— Could you ensure that entire generations aren’t forced to flee their homes in cities, towns and villages in war torn countries from Syria to Nigeria — because they are being continuously bombed, burned and brutalised at every turn?
— Could you please do something to stop the perpetrators of unspeakable violence, who claim to represent belief systems which permit them to commit vile atrocities with impunity?
— And could you very kindly put some sanity and compassion into the hearts and minds of the criminal profiteers of hatred, bloodshed and genocidal warfare?
Thank you Santa.
I truly wish you existed for grown ups.
Love and Best Wishes
From Annie Lennox