ASK SANTA ANY QUESTION

Human bone vs. Bird "hollow" bone

“Arwyn, Rudolph has a red nose in the Christmas story Robert L. May wrote for Montgomery Ward in 1939. 

I’ve enjoyed seeing how many children have come to love that story.

As for the reindeer here at the North Pole, yes, they have hollow bones. That helps keep them light when they leap into the air. How they stay up there is a secret I’m saving for another day. 

If you ever visit, remember to look up—some of them rest in large nests high in the trees.”

Early "Cell Phone" Technology

“Michael, I don’t have a machine that brings me gadgets from the future. But I’ve spent a long time learning how things work, and I’ve known inventors who asked questions most people hadn’t thought to ask yet.

Wally and I build things, test them, and sometimes start over when an idea doesn’t work. Some of our equipment may seem ahead of its time, but every invention has to begin somewhere. 

I’ll tell you this much: the North Pole has more than toy-making machines.”

Santa wants us all to get along

“Sheri, that’s a thoughtful question. My father, Luke, grew up in Austria. My mother, Natasha, came to America without knowing exactly where she was born or who her parents were. 

So there are parts of my family history I’m still trying to understand.

I grew up in New York City among families from many places. My parents taught me to listen, learn from my neighbors, and make everyone feel welcome.

Where someone comes from matters to their story, and I hope every child knows there’s a place for them in mine.”

The Confrater Book of Secrets

“Robert, they call themselves the Confraters. They’re a secretive group that has been looking for me for a long time. 

They have money and influence, and they don’t like it when Wally and I interfere with their plans.

I know that sounds frightening, but I’m telling you because you asked me honestly. 

Wally and I look out for each other, and we have friends in places the Confraters would never think to look. 

There’s much more to their story, but some secrets are safer left unopened for now.”

1909 T-206 Honus Wagner baseball card. Only 300 were ever produced.

“Jose, Wally and I have been fortunate, but we don’t spend much time thinking about how much we have. 

We think about what we can do with it. 

Wally has a sharp eye for a good idea, and I’ve learned to listen when he tells me one is worth pursuing. Some of those ideas have helped us care for people and keep the North Pole going. 

And if you asked Wally whether he was rich, I suspect he’d tell you about his friends before he told you about his money.”

Young Chris discovers Wally’s slingshot in a scene from the Christopher Kringle YouTube series

“Oh, we did. Wally usually had the idea, and I usually wanted to see what would happen. Once, I found his slingshot where he thought he’d hidden it. 

He was more worried about what I might do with it than about getting caught himself. 

We learned to own up to our mistakes, though I can’t promise we’ve stopped playing jokes on each other.”

Luke, Christopher, and Julianna Kringle

“Niko, I didn’t have any brothers or sisters by birth. Wally became my big brother when he joined our family, and I’ve never thought of him as anything less. We grew up together, shared plenty of adventures, and still look out for each other.”

Chris and Wally sharing a candy bar

“Ary, Wally has eight brothers and sisters, though he didn’t grow up with them. When he was young, he was sent away from his family and lived on a farm. We found each other later, and somewhere along the way, he became my big brother. He’s still finding pieces of his family’s story.”

Kringle family celebrating Christmas at Aunt Shirley's Farm

“Alisha, I don’t know your parents’ reasons, so they’re the best people to ask. 

Families celebrate different holidays and traditions, and some don’t celebrate Christmas at all. 

What matters to me is that you and your family feel welcome. You can always write to me, whether there’s a Christmas tree in your home or not.”