When a second-grader at Southgate Elementary School in Glen Burnie, Maryland, was given an assignment to write a letter to someone, she decided to have a very honest talk with an important man: Santa.
“Dear Santa, I love the gifes you gave me last Chrismas!” the letter begins. (All adorable spelling and grammar attributed to the original letter.)
But then, the 7-year-old relegates herself to Santa’s naughty list: “I’v been a little bad this year attchely I’v been bad at school and at home. I drive my mom crazy sometimes.”
She then comes to terms with the fact that great presents may not be waiting for her under the tree on Christmas morning: “I am fine if you give me a box of coal.”
Honest Self reflection! @AACountySchools @aacps_ib #Reflection pic.twitter.com/8KqwRI48zD
— Southgate Elementary (@SouthgateTigers) December 11, 2019
The letter closes with an additional thought about her other failings this year: “You sould see my report card. I could do a little better and I think you would too! Marry Chrismas.”
When Southgate Elementary School principal Bonnie Myers saw the letter, she knew it was too good to keep to herself.
“When I read this little girl’s letter, it just caught my eye and it made me smile, and I wanted to make other people smile,” Myers said. So, she tweeted it out on the school’s Twitter account.
She said in addition to being a cute read, it also reminds people that, sometimes, they should take advice from the little ones, that it’s OK to be honest and to reflect.
“At our school, one thing that we really work on is being very reflective and goal-setting and being honest, because we’re not perfect,” Myers said. “I think that we need to take away that it’s OK, because tomorrow’s a new day and we all make mistakes, and sometimes, it’s even good to write down our reflections from time to time.”
Here’s hoping that girl’s honesty gets her some forgiveness from Santa instead of a box of coal.
