Well over a century after Virginia’s nowfamous letter to the editor, the link between newspapers and SantaClaus remains as solid as ever.

    The U.S. Postal Service even recognizes that important connection.     Evidence of that factcan be found on the envelopes of Santa letters dropped by The DAILYLEADER office this holiday season.

    Proper postage for the mail was irrelevant as the letters weredutifully delivered. One didn’t even have an envelope, as it wassimply a piece of folded notebook paper addressed “To Santa at theNorth Pole. (Heart) you Santa.”

    Santa no doubt enjoyed reading the letter, as did our readers whilelooking over the Letters to Santa written by local elementaryschool children published in Friday’s edition.

    Even before 1897, the year Virginia wrote her letter to The Sun’seditor, mail carriers have been vigilant in seeing that letters toSanta get delivered – after a brief stop at the local newspaperoffice so that they may be copied and published prior toChristmas.

    Mail delivery is a significant part of everyday life, but it isespecially important at Christmastime and for letters to Santa.Mail carriers’ diligence ensures that the word gets out to theNorth Pole and the folks at home.

    It’s nice to see that despite concerns about postal cutbacks andbudget shortfalls, Santa is getting his mail in plenty of time forhim to make his Christmas Eve deliveries.