Dear Santa,
I’m beyond excited to be a part of BellaNaija’s #FeelLikeAChild campaign. As I sit down to write this letter, I’m filled with nostalgia and fond memories of my childhood Christmases.
Growing up, Christmas was always a magical time for me. I remember staying up all night on Christmas Eve, waiting to see if you’d come with your infamous sleigh and reindeer. The twinkling lights on the tree, the sound of carols filling the air, and the contagious excitement and cheer that Christmas always brings were pure bliss.
My siblings and I would always pressure our parents to hang up Christmas decorations. My dad didn’t mind, but my mom didn’t think it was necessary. Thanks to my dad, we always won. We’d cuddle up in the cold winter nights and watch Christmas movies one after the other. The Christmas spirit wasn’t fictional for us, it was real.
One of my fondest memories was when I was 12 years old. I’m a daddy’s girl, but daddy had a very tight work schedule and wasn’t going to be around for Christmas. I made a wish, asking Santa to please bring my daddy back home to spend Christmas with us.
With so much optimism and hope, I anticipated Daddy’s return for the days leading up to Christmas, right until Christmas Eve. But daddy still wasn’t there. I wept. My Christmas had been ruined, I thought. I penned down a heartfelt note to my dad and left it on the bookshelf, hoping Santa would at least deliver it to my daddy, since he couldn’t bring him back home to me.
Very early on Christmas morning, I jumped out of bed and rushed to where I had left the note. I was elated to see that Santa had granted my wish. My dad called a few hours later, thanked me heartily for the note, and apologised for not being there to spend the holidays with me. The thought that my Christmas wish came through was everything to me.
I miss being babied and having all my needs effortlessly met. As I grew older, the magic of Christmas did not fade. I still want to get beautiful clothes without having to ask, and I still want to go to all the nice and fun places and play like a toddler. I look forward to every Christmas season with so much excitement. And now, as a mom, it’s my biggest desire to make every Christmas special for my boy. He’s only a year old, but I guess we’re “catching them young.”
It’s a time for family, friends, love and joy. And I’m grateful to BellaNaija and BreatherNG for bringing back that childhood spark with this campaign. As an adult and a mother, it’s nice to relive childhood memories and feel like a child again.
Thank you for being a part of my childhood, Santa. I look forward to reliving some of that magic this Christmas with my growing family.
Yours sincerely,
Vanessa.
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The BellaNaija #FeelLikeAChild campaign, in collaboration with BreatherNG, presents the perfect opportunity for people to let go of adulthood, let their hair down and ‘play’ like a child for a day. Today with BreatherNG, we’re creating an unforgettable experience for 5 winners and their plus one this December.
