12.16.2011

to saint nicholas, from ethan nicholas


A friend of ours filled us in on the Make-A-Wish foundation's involvement with Macy's during the holiday season. I'd seen the big mailbox while Christmas shopping but didn't fully grasp what it was. For every letter to Santa that Macy's receives in their special in-store mailbox, $1 is donated to the Make-A-Wish foundation. It seemed like a fantastic before bedtime activity! We busted out the crayons and Ethan and I (plus Ernie!) composed a letter to Santa bordered by traced hands and feet (from both Ethan and his Ernie doll, of course).

The next morning, my mom accompanied Ethan and I to Macy's to drop off the letter in the special mailbox. (We left Ernie at home. No hard feelings, Ernie.) It wasn't until we helped Ethan drop the letter into the slot that I realized I'd left the stamp in my car, but the Macy's sales associate reassured me that the main Macy's office would stamp any letters that went in without a stamp.

It's important to me that Ethan grows up understanding charity and compassion and having enough love in his heart to share with others. All too frequently you see greed come to the forefront during the holiday season (I'm talking to you, Best Buy commercials) and I won't let that happen in our family. Spreading cheer and love during the holidays (and always, for that matter) is what life is all about so, naturally, that's what we asked Santa for in our letter: happiness and holiday cheer to all boys and girls everywhere!

After mailing our letter, Grandma Edie took Ethan for a ride on the mall's holiday train. It's funny the things that never change as the years go on and everything else seems to evolve, like these little mall train rides. I'm fairly certain they're the same trains that have been making their way around the small oval tracks since we were kids. Like a set of handcrafted wood blocks, there is something comforting about the authenticity of these train rides and the way it'll always feel magical to ding that little bell as the train goes around the tracks.

3 comments:

  1. I plan to bring my kids to drop the letter at Macy's this year also. I love that they do this and hope they continue to for many years. I couldn't agree more with what you said about how you want to raise your son for the holidays.

    http://wouldyoulike-frys-withthat.blogspot.com

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  2. Look like so much fun!

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