The Estately survey about Santa relocating his operations to Ohio caught the fancy of quick-thinking, second-grade students at Dorr Elementary School in the Springfield Schools district.
Here are their responses to the “possible” move by Santa to the Buckeye State. The students are in Kathryn Zeitler’s class.
Sophie Phillips: “I’ve got all my fingers and toes crossed for this! Santa wouldn’t have to take all night to come to my house if he lived here. He could come earlier like two days after Thanksgiving. He could even come through my door instead of my chimney … I’ll leave it unlocked. I’ll leave out carrots and cookies. I’ll make Santa a cookie cake for his birthday too.
Lily Cooper: “If Santa comes here he would see all the Christmas trees everyone decorates. It’s so beautiful! Santa will love them. And the people are so nice.”
Josh Fallgren: “I’d like to know what other states Santa is thinking about so I can beat them down and win Ohio up. Let’s not mention that my sister, Cacey’s fiancee hunts deer. Also, there’s more people living in Ohio and so there would be more true believers because they would get used to seeing Santa every day, you know, just doing normal stuff, like working on his car and stuff.”
Xavier Boyd: “I’ve been thinking about this for a while, like one second. Ohio is kind of in the middle of the USA so it would be easier for Santa to get to the other states quicker. The North Pole is so far away from Ohio and everywhere else.”
Jocelyn Chavez: “We get lots of snow here so he could put his sleigh anywhere.”
Landon White: “I think Santa would like to see the Buckeyes play and I KNOW the reindeer would like the Buckeyes … get it Buck Eyes ... ’cause they are bucks and they have eyes.”
Zach Bolbach: “The elves would be closer. We all applied to be elves for Santa and some of us don’t want to leave home, so we would be closer.” (Note: as a class assignment, youngsters fill out job applications to be elves; some students typically are eager to go to the North Pole to work with Santa; others are not keen on leaving home because they would miss their families.)
Cole Murphy: “Don’t you remember last year? There was snow all the time! Ohio is perfect for Santa and the reindeer! They’re used to flying in snow. Also, the stores around here sell a lot of nuts. For about 2 or 3 dollars you can get 5 or 4 nuts for the reindeer. Also, I live literally across the street from this big blue building. My mom says they make the Toledo Blade there. Santa could buy them out for his workshop and promise never to put their kids on the naughty list.”
Julianna Sosbe: “There are lots of stores here so Santa could take it easy. He can buy stuff and not have to make so many toys and things for grown-ups and kids.”
Alejandro Gonzalez: “Santa has got to get out of the North Pole if it’s melting. They can’t live under water. He would like that restaurant where the people make you food at your table and they throw a vegetable into your mouth.”
Nyah Miller: “When the snow comes down it’s really, really beautiful. I got a lot of space in my backyard for reindeer. I could keep about 20 for Santa. In the summer, I would give them a bucket of water to cool off and I would wash them in the field with a hose.”
From students in Amanda O’Connor’s second-grade class at Dorr Elementary:
Isabelle Lambert: “A lot of kids live in Ohio, so he will be able to deliver presents easily.”
Tanell Hudson: “It is a good place, they do not boss you around or tell you what to do in Ohio.”
Ethan Blue: “In Ohio there are good people. It also has places here for him to make presents.”
Tori Dotson: “In Ohio, you do not get judged by how you dress. You also can do what you want if you are an adult.”
(Final note: Dear Santa, please bring these students hugs and happiness, and of course, some toys.)
First Published December 21, 2014, 5:00 a.m.
