Some Of The Funniest Things That Kids Have Asked Santa For

It's Christmastime, my favorite time of year. As I get older, it becomes less and less about me and more about my nieces and nephews. Seeing Christmas through them is great!

When children write to Santa Claus, what do they say? Carole Slotterback, a psychology professor at the University of Scranton, analyzed nearly 1,200 letters addressed to Santa and sent to the central post office in Scranton, Pennsylvania and found out fascinating answers that range from humorous to heart-wrenching.

The letters were written with every possible type of paper and shade of ink. Some included drawings, stickers or glitter, and many kids -- just to be sure the big guy knew how to find them -- gave Santa not only their name and address, but also their home phone number and their parents' cell phone numbers.

Some even tossed in a school photo. Slotterback, who published her findings in "The Psychology of Santa," said, "Some are just absolutely a stitch, and others are some of the saddest things I've ever read." She added, "I've never gone 5 or 10 minutes without getting teary. It's very emotional."

Here is a sampling of what children asked of Santa:

• One child asked to become an elf.
• A child wrote out a list that included video games, a camera and a microscope, but about every third item, the child wrote: "NO clothes."
• One little girl asked Santa for a mother. "Not just for me but my daddy, brother and granny...my daddy works so hard and then he comes home to cook and clean and it should be easier," the letter, written in careful cursive on pink paper, read. She drew a 5-cent "stamp" on the envelope.
• One child asked Santa to check the appropriate box: Real or not real?
• Kids who wrote letters, instead of just making a list, tended to be more polite and chatty, sometimes even asking about Mrs. Claus.
• During the 2001 Christmas season following the September 11 attacks, many of the letters were decorated with Santa's sleigh and American flags flying on it. Children also asked for fewer toys that year.

[via: University of Scranton]