As he went through some boxes in the attic, Robin Jones was surprised to unearth some happy memories from a Christmas long ago.

In an old scrapbook, Jones had many letters written to him when he was five years old, hospitalized with pneumonia before the holidays. His four siblings wrote to him often during his long stay, but it was a hand-written letter in red ink that caught his eye.

B次元官网网址淢y dad used to come and read me stories every day there in the hospital, and then one day I received this seven-page letter from Santa Claus. I still have it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 started to get better and I was home in time for Christmas.B次元官网网址�

Seventy years have passed since Jones was hospitalized with pneumonia. In the B次元官网网址�40s, it was common for people to pass away from the illness. Jones said his family was worried about his health, so his dad B次元官网网址� a great storyteller who would often make up tales for his children B次元官网网址� decided to give them all some hope.

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B次元官网网址淚t was very heartwarming,B次元官网网址� Jones said of his fatherB次元官网网址檚 creative gift, which was completed with smudges of chimney soot on the envelope. He credits the letter with making him feel better, and helping him go home.

B次元官网网址淚 remember receiving it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t showed me that faith and the Christmas spirit can make you better.B次元官网网址�

After he shared the story of the letter with the Victoria StorytellersB次元官网网址� Guild, they encouraged Jones to write a book. In 2017, Letter from Santa Claus was published, with illustrations by Mar Fandos.

The drawings show Jones with his Irish mother and black father. It was important to him when working with the artist that his biracial family was represented, especially as he notes there arenB次元官网网址檛 many Christmas stories featuring multiracial families. His grandfather was a slave who escaped in the Underground Railroad and married JonesB次元官网网址檚 First Nations grandmother after making it to Canada.

B次元官网网址淪o I made sure when the pictures were drawn, they showed my dad was black.B次元官网网址�

In the year since its publication, Jones has read Letter from Santa Claus to people in Tuscan, Los Angelos and local groups of children in schools. He said some younger readers told him they feel better now that they know what happens when you go to heaven B次元官网网址� where the letter said children can choose to become SantaB次元官网网址檚 elves B次元官网网址� and what really goes on at the North Pole.

As for his father, Jones believes he would have loved the book.

B次元官网网址淗e would adore it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淗e felt it was a big thing to pass on information to your children through stories.B次元官网网址�

Seventy years ago, Jones received a letter he believed was from Santa Claus. Now, long after discovering the true identity of its author, he still has it.

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@KeiliBartlett
keili.bartlett@blackpress.ca

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