Are you Santa?

November 19, 21:04

It was more than 20 years ago that I believed in Santa Claus and waited for the present with excitement.



I (Shimizu) also became an adult and became a parent with a one-year-old child.



When I hear Christmas songs in the city, I wonder if my child will be asked this when he grows up a little more.



"Are you Santa?"



What should I answer as a parent

?


(Network News Department Akiko Shimizu Shinya Fujishima Mayi Ogura)

What kind of picture book would make me happy?

Around this time last year, when my daughter was on maternity leave for nine months, I was looking at my smartphone and noticed a post on SNS.



It was an initiative called "Book Santa" to give books as Christmas gifts to children in various difficult situations.



At that time, I couldn't go out much because of the influence of the new Corona, and while I was staying at home and raising children, I naturally felt that I could do it myself.



Looking back, the book had a special feeling.


When I was a kid, my parents gave me books on Christmas and birthdays and took me to the library on weekends.

Thanks to that, I fell in love with books.



I want children to experience the time they were absorbed in books.



What kind of picture book would make me happy?

With that in mind, I chose a picture book to give to me on a dedicated online site.



In my case, it took me an hour to choose.


It made me feel like I knew a little about how Santa Claus was preparing the presents.



It is also accepted at affiliated bookstores, and the goal for this year is 60,000 books (60,000 people).


If the target number is reached, it will end ahead of schedule from December 24, the final reception date.

Santa has come home!

The books we choose are delivered directly to our homes by Santa Claus and others.

Teruki Nakazawa (47), an office worker who has two high school daughters, is one of them.



It is said that he found a volunteer recruitment site when he was wondering if some families might not receive Christmas gifts from their children due to the corona.

Mr. Nakazawa


"I wish I could do something for the children, and I thought it would be fun to give presents, so I decided to participate."

Last year's Christmas Eve.



It was a house with a 4-year-old boy who became Santa Claus and delivered the present.


A boy who looked surprised.

Based on the information he had heard from his mother, Mr. Nakazawa looked into the boy's eyes and asked gently.



"Are you good at mat exercises?"



"I'm good at it."



He brought the mat to the front door and showed off his bridge and handstand.

And when I handed over the picture book for Christmas gifts, the boy showed a big smile.

I was the one who got the present

When I asked Mr. Nakazawa how he felt about becoming Santa Claus, he said that his way of thinking changed before and after doing it.

Mr. Nakazawa


"I went to give presents to the children, but on the contrary, I thought that I got the presents from the boy."



"The

experience of being able

to communicate with the children in just 5 or 10 minutes. It's hard to do. I feel happy. "

Regarding the schedule for Christmas Eve



this year, he answered happily,

"Of course, I'm willing to deliver presents to the children!"

Waiting for santa claus

There are urgent voices from the families who actually applied.



The mother, who spends Christmas with her mother and child every year and makes her feel lonely, has such a pleasant memory that her child talks about the charity Santa who came last year, "I wonder if that was a dream." I look back.

"I wonder if the children will come again this year, and I would like to fulfill my wishes if possible. I would be happy if I could give Christmas once a year as a lifelong memory and experience."

Parents who find it difficult to play because they work without siblings have expressed their feelings for their daughter, who is unable to receive child support and is financially patient.

"I couldn't make what I could call a memory because it was a corona sword, and now I want to leave good memories for my daughter who truly believes in Santa Claus."

It is said that the number of households that have applied for gifts and visits to Santa Claus has increased about five times compared to the adult due to the corona virus (as of November 18).

There are various Santa Clauses

There are many other Santa Clauses.



"Santa Run" runs and walks in Santa Claus and uses a part of the participation fee to give presents to children who are hospitalized in the pediatric ward.



This activity started 12 years ago.


This year, I couldn't actually get together because of Corona, so it became a virtual method using an app.

Participants cannot deliver gifts directly, but they will work at their own pace while thinking of the smiling faces of the children who receive them.



The entry period is until December 18th.

There is also an initiative by "Ashinaga Santa," which calls for cash donations to give gifts to children in orphanages nationwide.



It is said that cakes and toys are sometimes given to the facility at Christmas, but unfortunately there are cases where they have to be discarded because they cannot be eaten or are not a child's favorite.



The person in charge said, "I would be very grateful if you could donate in cash to give the gifts that the children want."

A little more until Christmas

When I interviewed, I found out that there are many people who are moving, hoping to create an environment where they can believe that Santa Claus is present.



"Are you Santa?"



When asked by my daughter who was able to have a conversation



in the future, I



would like to answer

"Santa is there."