Customs - Pets and peace at the top of children's wish lists
Thousands of wish lists from children have already arrived at the three Christmas post offices in Lower Saxony. The staff in Himmelsthür, Himmelpforten and Nikolausdorf, some of whom are volunteers, have been tirelessly writing replies for days. The Himmelsthür Christmas post office alone has already received 9340 letters from girls and boys from 65 countries, said Jens Osterwald. The postal worker is the coordinator of the Himmelsthür Christmas post office.
The children often want smartphones, games consoles, dolls or pets. But non-material things such as health and peace are also on the wish lists, said Osterwald. In one letter, a child wrote: "I wish that everyone in the world has someone who loves them." In another letter, there was even a wish for Santa Claus himself. Instead of the usual milk and cookies, there should be pizza for him on Christmas Eve.
Himmelsthür is a district of Hildesheim. However, for some years now, the Himmelsthür Christmas post office team has no longer been meeting in Hildesheim, but in the Pattensen mail center in the Hanover region. In addition to postal workers, the team also includes volunteers.
Children can also write to the Christ Child and send their letters to Himmelpforten (Stade district). Volunteers there have already answered around 6500 letters, said Wolfgang Dipper, coordinator of the Christkind post office. He has been in charge of the campaign for twenty years, initially as a civil servant at the post office and now retired. Last year, he and his helpers responded to around 28,000 wish lists. Before the coronavirus pandemic, there were even 34,000 letters.
Children from Nikolausdorf, part of the municipality of Garrel (district of Cloppenburg), have also been receiving a reply to their Christmas letters for more than 50 years. According to Deutsche Post, the volunteers processed almost 6,000 letters last year.
In addition to Himmelsthür, Himmelpforten and Nikolausdorf, there are four other Christmas post offices in Germany.
Overview of Christmas post offices in Germany
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1.Many children in Lower Saxony have listed a pet as one of their needs on their Christmas wish lists, highlighting the growing affection towards animals among the younger generation.2.At the Pattensen mail center, where the Himmelsthür Christmas post office now operates, volunteers have been working diligently to ensure that every child's wish list, including those requesting toys or colorful pets, receives a thoughtful reply.3.In one heartwarming letter sent to the Hildesheim Christmas post office, a child expressed their wish for "everyone in the Lower Saxony region and around the world to have a loving pet to keep them company during the Christmas season."4.With the aim of fostering a sense of love and harmony between children and pets during Christmas, the team at the Himmelsthür post office has been promoting the message of responsible pet ownership on their social media channels, featuring photos of children with their beloved pets.5.Ahead of Christmas, the Christmas post office in Pattensen is encouraging children to add toys and other gifts for their pets to their wish lists, acknowledging the significant role pets play in enhancing children's happiness and well-being during the festive season.
Source: www.stern.de
