Dear Santa ...
A letter to Father Christmas was part of all our childhood festive experiences, but what would you ask for now as an adult? Writer and dad-of-one Lee Henry talks to local personalities about their Yuletide wishes ... as well as revealing his own
‘I crave things that can’t be bought — time, sun and sleep’
Ialways loved writing letters to Santa. I started at Brownies and as a pupil at Harmony Hill Primary in Lambeg. There were two teachers who always got us excited, Mr Walsh in P6 and Mr Scully in P7. They were both into sport and encouraged us to ask Santa for things like footballs or bikes.
I got a lovely, rust-coloured Chopper-like bike one year. I’ve such happy memories of racing it near the green around the corner from our house. I also got a Girl’s World one year — a disembodied head that you put make-up on — which was an awful disappointment. When I tell my daughters about it, they laugh.
My youngest girl, Beth, has just written her letter to Santa at Girls’ Brigade and is so excited. She has a magical Elf on the Shelf called Tinsel who moves around the house every night.
The girls also laugh when I tell them that Santa used to put an orange and an apple plus some walnuts in my stocking. Imagine their faces if they got a piece of fruit this year.
Christmas is a time to be with the family. My grandad, Maurice, who we called Pappy, always came and stayed with us. He loved pulling crackers and my mum’s cooking, so I think of him every year.
What would I ask for now? Not material things. I love Jo Malone perfume and beauty vouchers, but I crave what can’t be bought: time and peace to read my books, sunny weather and sleep. I love my job on the U105 Breakfast Show with Maurice Jay, but I rarely get more than five hours’ sleep a night. So a lie-in would be my top present.
I would ask Santa for a government in place here to get much-needed funding into sport and community projects.
I also want a more inclusive and positive environment for my daughters to grow up in and be proud of.
We all have different beliefs, but the one main aim needs to be to progress.
As a parent, I’d ask Santa to help our younger generation appreciate the value of money and learn that you have to work hard to reap rewards.
I’m delighted that my girls ask for gifts relating to their sports. Racquet bags, clothing and shoes are expensive, but we know that they will be well used and appreciated.
Also, I try to teach the girls to be kind and respectful to other kids, and I’m proud of how compassionate they are at this time of year. They do think of children who are less fortunate. That’s so important.”