By Tania Salceda

Dear Santa Claus,

I know I may not have been nice most of the time this past year, yet I still deserve a chance to be placed in the nice list instead of the naughty list.

Most importantly I would like to thank you for your past service and the fact that you will be considerate this year and finally add me to the nice list.

This year I ask for my sanity. I have been without it for a while and it is really taking a toll on my social life.

I also beg you to extend 24-hour days; they need to be longer. How is it possible to be a full-time student, an activist, and many other things in the span of a 16-hour day?

I also ask for global warming to end. It is destroying our planet and it is also absurdly being denied by several ignorant human beings.

I ask for immigration policies to improve. I ask for equality in this country, for the abolishment of stereotypes, racism and false accusation towards the POC (People of Color) community.

I plead for women to have the same rights as men: pay, jobs, and opportunities in general. Women are as strong as men and maybe even stronger, physically and mentally.

I ask for child labor to stop. All over the world children are denied the opportunity to educate themselves and are set to follow in their parent’s footsteps to live in an aura of poverty and struggle.

This Christmas I ask for a change. Prove that you are real and grant me one gift this year.

Oh, and I would also like some socks.

By Savannah Gamboa

To whom it may concern:

Whether it be Santa Claus, Jólasveinarnir, or Tomte, I am indifferent about the intended recipient of this “letter.” As the peak of the holidays draws closer, I find myself contemplating what I could want for this joyous season. In years prior, my list would have been more extensive. In my earliest years, I was captivated by the trendiest toys, and in recent years I’ve found myself desiring  face masks and bath bombs. Unlike previous years, I want little this holiday season. As I border the edge of what is technically adulthood, I feel like my hopes and wishes are slightly different. This year, I want the ability to disconnect from my stressors, enjoy the remaining months of this chapter of my life and be content with whatever it is my future will entail.

While I am not asking for much, what I want isn’t as simple as say, a raspberry scented lotion or an Almond Joy. By the way, I wouldn’t mind an Almond Joy. Some may believe that my wishes can be achieved through deep soul searching and self-reflection, and maybe they are, but “holiday magic” works faster. All in all, I am overly excited for holiday festivities, per usual, and will be making the most of the upcoming weeks. Happy holidays and stay warm.

By Samantha Rios

Dear Santa Claus,

First of all, I’ve missed you big guy! I’ve been longing to write to you for the past twelve months and give you a little update on how nice I’ve been and deserving of your generous gifts.

Since your last visit to my home, I’ve meticulously selected a few items that I’m hoping you’ll provide me with this holiday season. While I may sound extremely materialistic and arrogant for preparing such a trivial list, I feel it’s necessary to remind you of the few kind deeds that I performed this year out of the pure goodness of my heart, including doing the laundry once a week and not just rinsing the food stains off the dishes but actually scrubbing them off.

This year’s wish list consists of merchandise from old bands I don’t listen to, a record player to inspire me to listen to the old bands I don’t listen to and another set of airpods.

First and foremost, artist merchandise is a vital necessity Mr. Claus. I’ve made it a goal to replace my entire wardrobe with oversized vintage band t-shirts in order to begin my new “teenage angst” phase. And by “old bands” I mean Ramones, Led Zeppelin, Guns N’ roses and Metallica. I’ve already got the high waisted, ripped jeans and chokers, all I need is the t-shirts.

A record player isn’t the most important component in my “rebellious teen” fantasy but I feel the music that a record player produces is a key factor in fulfilling my dream. By the way, some “old band” vinyl would be kindly accepted as well!

Finally, another set of airpods would be greatly appreciated Mr. Claus. My airpod charging case is covered in a year’s worth of dents, scratches and cracks but I promise to take care of them this time and actually clean them. I really don’t want that painful ear infection to come back again.

I’ll be patiently waiting Christmas Eve night with a large plate of cookies and milk, thanks Mr. Claus!

By Isaias Pilotzi

Dear Mr. Claus,

This year, I would simply like money. I’m not really into specific presents anymore and I think that it would be better if I’d buy my own presents. You can give your different toys to other people, but I would just simply like the cash. I think I deserve this because I’ve been good this year. I have been passing classes with flying colors and I’ve been helpful around the house. This year my family went through a house remodeling project. I’m proud of myself for offering to help build the house. My dad was also grateful, and I feel like I learned a lot during that summer. I’ve also been a great friend to all of my friends. I’ve been around for them and I’ve helped them through their tough times. One of my friends was in a really depressed state this year and I was there to help him feel better and to take the right decisions. Overall, I believe I had a good year and I deserve what I asked for. That would be all for me. Thank you for listening.

By Evelyn Bermudez

Dear Santa Claus,

I rarely get Christmas presents, so please consider bringing me something on my list this year. For starters, I have been extremely cold lately and would like a heated blanket. I also don’t have any winter clothes, so a coat would be nice as well. My dog, Oreo, also needs a new bed.

Since school has been getting very exhausting, I feel I’m in need of a vacation to Scotland and more time to do my homework. A Keurig would be useful as well, for the nights I stay up doing homework or studying. I also want a new backpack because the zipper on mine doesn’t work sometimes. I also want some new books to read since I’ve read all of mine.

A mattress would be great since my chiropractor suggested getting a new one every 10 years and I have had mine for 12 years. I have not been to the movie theater in two years, so I also want an unlimited amount of movie theater tickets.

Being that this time of year is about spreading happiness, I ask that you give me the opportunity to help give someone joy in their lives, and that someone does the same for me.

By Angelo Tayag

Dear Santa,

This Christmas I would like to receive new PC parts in order to increase the performance of my PC. Recently I have been experiencing trouble with my performance due to a lack of random access memory (RAM). Thus, I would appreciate it if you would kindly have your elves construct the best 16 gigabyte RAM sticks in the world.

While your elves are at it, I would like to request two new Geforce GTX 1080 Ti s. The 1080s will replace my Geforce GTX 1060 Armor 6GB. The stellar performance and fluidity of both graphics card will satisfy my needs for a very functional PC.

Additionally, I would like 2 new 144 Hz monitors. My setup has an old monitor and an ASUS 21.5 inch monitor, and the reduction of input lag and increase in response time will highly boost my performance while gaming.

Lastly, I would like to request a new processor. I have an Intel Core i5-6500; however, the performance is not the top tier processor that I am searching for. I would like to receive a new Intel Core i7-8700K which is currently one of the top selling processors.

Thank for listening to my requests, and since you have had time to tell your elves to get to work, GIMME MY PARTS.