One of the coolest things we do each year at L’OBSERVATEUR is turn over one of the newspaper’s special sections to the littlest journalists in the River Parishes — our community’s children.

This year, we’re running our Seasons Greetings/Letters to Santa section on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24.

Christmas is a special time of year and is experienced best when seen through the eyes of a child. Their caring words and childhood fantasies serve as a window into our past, while reminding us of the child inside us all.

Reading about their wishes in their own words is a truly special thing, and we are asking for your help to bring the project together.

L’OBSERVATEUR will publish the letters in a keepsake edition, with each letter appearing in the child’s handwriting; therefore, we encourage all submittals to be legible.

Mom and Dad can certainly help their sons and daughters, who might be too young to read, by writing the letter and letting the child draw a picture on the page. Pictures are also welcomed and may be published, as well.

Letters must be delivered to our office by 5 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 17) for inclusion in this special holiday section.

We ask each letter be written on a piece of white paper in black pen or dark pencil. Drawings can be in crayon or marker and should be on the same piece of paper as the letter.

Each child is encouraged to sign the letter, but we ask teachers and parents to write the child’s full name, age and hometown on the back side of the paper, near the bottom.

Electronic submissions emailed to stephen.hemelt@lobservateur.com are preferred, but hard copies may be mailed to Letters to Santa, c/o L’Observateur, 116 Newspaper Drive, LaPlace, LA 70068, or dropped off at our office off Main Street behind Destiny Christian Center. Call 985-652-9545 for more information.