SAD. Kids' letters to Santa this year hit a little harder

[BobTheSubgenius]

4. I don't know if there are programs like this where you are, but here,

an organization named Santas Anonymous sets up tables in malls, with a couple of volunteers and a Christmas tree. The tree is adorned with outline drawings of teddy bears that have obviously been coloured by children.

On the back of each bear is an easily "unpeeled" sticker that has a code specific to the child, a gender and age, and a gift that child wants. If you ask, they will let you have the bear after they have put the sticker on the gift.

It makes a lovely present for someone who would appreciate it, and someone for whom a gift seems either impossible or redundant. What can anyone get me that I really NEED? There are many things I want, but they are beyond the range of "Xmas gift." If I want it badly enough and can afford it, I'll buy it myself.

I've sent out a number of them over the years, and the first time each person received one, I included a note of explanation and tell them that, instead of something that you're going to remember for maybe a day after eating it, or an object to gather dust on a shelf, a 9 year old girl got a Barbie. Or whatever.

One woman that received one is an incredibly tender-hearted person, and she told me she cried off and on the whole afternoon after opening her mail.

Please consider it.