Letters to baby Jesus and Santa

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Dear baby Jesus, I'm really looking forward to your visit. We are not at home on December 24. We'll wait for you on the 22nd. Museum für Kommunikation, Bern

Dear Father Christmas, I am not always well behaved. Sometimes I get angry and hit my sister...Will you still come to my house? Here is a nice drawing for you. Happy Christmas, Zoé Musée de la communication, Berne

Father Christmas and Mother Christmas Musée de la communication, Berne

Musée de la communication, Berne

Address: Father Christmas, North Pole. Dear Father Christmas, I would like my allergy to disappear. This is me. Dear Father Christmas, I would also like all the Skylanders. If you can do that I will be happy. Museum für Kommunikation, Bern

Museum für Kommunikation, Bern

Dear baby Jesus, I would like to play football as well as Lionel Messi. Barcelona 2 v Real Madrid 1, greetings from Arb Museum für Kommunikation, Bern

Petra, 4 1/2 years old Museum für Kommunikation, Bern

Dear Father Christmas, I would like all these presents. Aypad [IPad], Aypod totch [IPod Touch], Aipod [IPod], Aifon 5 [IPhone 5], please Father Christmas, you are the kindest in the world. Musée de la communication, Berne

Dear baby Jesus, my name is Saskia and I have believed in you since I was little and now that I am bigger I don't believe. This is my question: do you really exist? Please write back, Saskia Museum für Kommunikation, Bern

Baby Jesus, Bethlehem Museum für Kommunikation, Bern

[Left] Dear baby Jesus, what was your childhood like? What's your real name? What's your address? I would like a really small bunny. I live in Langacher 42. My name is Nael. [Right] Please don't come with the birch whip. Me Museum für Kommunikation, Bern

Asta, S 1000 Ford Mustang GT, Egon Calabresi, 9 years old, from Verscio [canton Ticino] Museo della comunicazione, Berna

Maxim Museum für Kommunikation, Bern

Mary, Jesus, Joseph, Hi! To come to my place. It's here. Musée de la communication, Berne

Hi Father Christmas, how are you? I'm well and you? For Christmas could you bring me a photo of you and your reindeer? Kristel, Rene Museo della Comunicazione, Berna

Museum für Kommunikation, Bern

Dear Father Christmas, even though I'm ten years old and and all my friends say you don't exist, for me you exist in everyone's heart. Could you offer to each and every child in the world a packet of happiness, thanks! Cora Musée de la communication, Berne

Father Christmas, you are kind. I love you, Marc-Antoine Musée de la communication, Berne

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Christmas is a magical time for children when they get to write special requests to Father Christmas or baby Jesus. Over the past year the Swiss Post received more than 18,000 such letters and each one gets an individual answer.

Children’s Christmas letters to Santa have changed in recent decades. Although teddy bears are still a regular feature, letters now include requests for things like tablets and other hi-tech gadgets. But children don’t just want toys or other consumer products, they also long for a more peaceful and fair world, and a home environment where siblings or parents don’t argue or fight.

Since 1950, the Swiss Post has accepted children’s letters to Santa, which are full of thoughtful and amusing observations. Each one receives an individual answer – if the address can be deciphered. The thousands of letters come not only from Switzerland, but from neighbouring countries and even much further afield. For 60 years a dedicated five-person team based in canton Ticino has answered Christmas letters from children.

(Images from the book: “Briefe ans ChristkindExternal link” (Letters to baby Jesus), Communication Museum; Text: Gaby Ochsenbein/swissinfo.ch)