Today’s L’Observateur features a “Letters to Santa” special section, and I hope you’ll take the time to read it, as it is sure to make you smile.

I spent much of Wednesday scanning in the drawings and letters area children submitted to the newspaper for publication, and while the work itself didn’t make time pass quickly, reading the letters did.

It’s times like this when I realize just how innocent children are. Many things have changed over the years, but one thing that has remained constant is the blind faith children possess, how traditions handed down through generations continue to live on. It is so refreshing in today’s world to know children still believe anything is truly possible.

That came across in the letters sent to our newspaper.

Children’s tastes have changed over the years, though some of the kids did ask for the ever popular train sets, baby dolls, board games, Easy Bake Ovens, bikes and balls for Christmas. But this year’s popular requests included cell phones, Wii’s and Wii games, Nintendo DSs and DSIs, IPods, IPhones and laptop computers.

There were some fun requests: chocolate chip cookies, a thesaurus, tickets to the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie and $100 cash.

And then there were those requests that only Santa Claus himself could fulfill: four tickets to a Saints game, a football signed by Reggie Bush and a cruise in the ocean.

There were some funny letters, a few sort of sad and many that just made me smile.

A few of my favorite excerpts:

• “Can you put my sister on the naughty list?”

• “I don’t want a lot of toys from you, just 10.”

• “I want a bone for my doggy and a hug for my mommy.”

• “I been a little good and a little bad. I been in the middle.”

One of my favorite letters was written by Garyville Mt. Airy Magnet School fourth-grader Kori Winzer, whose letter was quite well thought out, with a reason behind each gift request. Maybe it’s my English background and remembering all those essays I had to write that made me like it so much. Anyway, here is it:

“I want seven things for Christmas. The first thing I want is a digital camera (orange) for the adventures I’ll go on. Second, I want Chapstick for my dry lips. Third, I want earrings, a necklace and a watch. Fourth, I want a teddy bear (kitty) for when I’m lonely. Fifth, I want a lamp for my room so I can read in the dark. Sixth, I want a polkadot scarf for chilly days. Last, I want an umbrella for rainy days. These are the things I want for Christmas.”

And going back to the issue of blind faith. One letter, written by John L. Ory fourth-grader Mya Vinnett, got the the heart of it.

“….I would like a little gift for my mom with your name on it. You see, she has stopped believing in you. So if there is a present with your name on it maybe she will believe again.”

Merry Christmas to all of you.

Sandy Cunningham is publisher of L’Observateur. She can be reached at sandy.cunningham@ wickcommunications.com