'Dear Santa, I wish Covid-19 would go away'

“Dear Santa, please make Covid-19 go away.”

This was on the wish lists of many children, who posted letters to the North Pole via the Santa Post Box in Waterfall, Durban.

The Upper Highway community is known for spreading Christmas cheer with festive initiatives, however this year, Santa could not make his usual rounds due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Waterfall Neighbourhood Watch then came up with the idea to install a Santa Post Box for residents to post their letters. Those who enclosed their addresses received a letter from Santa.

Karen Buxton of the neighbourhood watch said many children mentioned wanting Covid-19 to go away in their letters to Santa.

“Many children also just wanted for their families to be together and happy and healthy,” she said.

One man wrote to Santa to inform him that he had changed his address more than 40 years ago.

“One gentleman wrote a letter to tell Santa that he has lived in SA for 43 years and he doesn't think Santa knows this as he hasn't got a present in 43 years. He thinks Santa might still have his address in Scotland. All he wants is an electric razor. Santa wrote back to him that he has 43 electric razors waiting for him at his old address in Scotland,” Buxton said.

The Santa Post Box in Waterfall was a huge hit, as were the street names that have been changed to Nutcracker Drive and Snowflake Lane during the festive season.

“Residents and people from far arrived in their own time to take photos of their children posting letters. It was in a large, open area so social distancing could be practised. There were more than 400 letters posted and every local child who left an address got a special letter from Santa. The elves have been extremely busy dropping off letters in Hillcrest, Waterfall, Crestholme, Winston Park, Gillitts, Forest Hills,” Buxton said.

“Every year the community of Waterfall 3 celebrate Christmas by many of the houses putting up lights on their houses and gardens. We do a Santa drive through the entire neighbourhood on Christmas eve, with Santa being driven on the back of a bakkie with his elves and stopping for parents to take photos of Santa with the children.

“This year, sadly, will be different. We will still be doing the drive through the hood, but no stopping. Santa will still wave and shout 'merry Christmas', but we have to stay safe and social distancing rules apply.”

TimesLIVE