NUTLEY –
Santa’s workshop must be operating at full tilt this season – just to respond to Christmas expectations from Nutley youngsters.
That’s evident from the piles of letters penned and/or typed by township tots that have flooded St. Nick’s North Pole headquarters.
Boys and girls from Nutley are cautioned that Thursday, Dec. 20 is the last day they can still write to Santa to be sure that all important correspondence arrives via Polar Express before Christmas Day.
A special Santa mailbox on Chestnut St. will be open for those special requests until then.
As of last week, we were told by a spokesperson for Santa that between 400 and 500 letters from Nutley are projected to come in between now and Thursday.
We promised not to disclose who’s asking for what but Santa’s elves who read those letters shared with us those items that seem to be the most coveted by the very youngest up to age 12.
For girls ages 7 to 10, for example, a popular choice is American girl dolls that stand two feet tall and come with various accessories. Monster High action dolls are also big this season.
Barbies and Disney Princess dolls and merchandise are hot tickets, as are 1D Boy Band items and Justice clothing.
Stompers slippers, playthings for pets, art materials – paints, crayons, glitter – are hot ticket items.
So are all types of Apple products, iPhones, Nintendo DS video games for boys, Hess helicopter and truck for boys ages 6 to 10, toy trucks and cars for little boys, “Toy Story” and “Cars 2” flicks and characters for boys ages 2 to 5, and the Nook for both boys and girls.
While there are no Nutley mountains to climb we know of, one child asked for hiking equipment.
As a reflection of hard times everywhere, several girls petitioned Santa to include the victims of Hurricane Sandy in his gift list; and a few children asked Santa to help their parents and family members.
“My parents work too much,” one concerned child wrote.
The elves told us that a lot of children confided they’ve “tried to be good” but don’t always succeed. “Sometimes I lie,” one acknowledged, “but I’m trying not to.”
And others told Santa they were working hard to break bad habits. One said: “I promise to listen and to clean my room.”
One youngster promised to “put some delicious cookies and milk for you on Christmas.” Another raised the stakes a bit by assuring Santa he could expect “cookies and milk waiting for you and carrots for your reindeer…”
Santa isn’t promising to fulfill everybody’s wish list but he will be writing back everybody who wrote to him.
– Ron Leir
