Christmas is always a special time for children. It brings an excitement like no other. When the Christmas tree goes up and the lights begin to twinkle, that’s when they know it’s time to count down to the most magical evening of the year. They get to play in the snow with family and friends, read stories about Christmas, marvel at picturesque decorations hung up everywhere, sing carols with their friends, and of course, make that special wishlist for Santa Claus.
Typically, a visit to Santa means the chance to rattle off a very specific list: toys, books, clothes.
But you’ll be surprised to know just how selfless children can be, especially at Christmas time.
Santa Claus has definitely heard it all but his favorite ones have to be those sweet, thoughtful wishes – the kind only believing hearts can make.
You see, instead of asking for expensive toys, these children decided to spend their Christmas wishes for others.
10. Prestyn Barnette wanted nothing but prayers for a sick baby on life support.
Four-year-old Prestyn’s grandmother is part of a prayer group that knows of two-month-old Knox Stine’s condition. When Prestyn heard about the little baby fighting for his life at the Sunrise Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas, he knew what he wanted for Christmas. So when he visited Santa at the mall, he took his chance. His aunt shares how the touching exhange went.
“We got up there and Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas. He asked for a Lionel train set and to pray for a miracle for Baby Knox.”
Prestyn’s simple yet heartfelt gesture urged many others to pray for Knox. And when the baby’s mother found out about it, she was deeply touched by the four-year-old’s Christmas wish.
“I thought it was beautiful. I thought the boy was precious and I think it’s so sweet. It spoke to my heart. Even though I am experiencing pain that is unbelievable, that brought joy to me.”
9. Arnulfo Guerra Jr. asked for a healthy heart for his mom.
Arnulfo’s mom has a heart defect that has her on the waiting list for a donor. She has only been on the list for a year but doctors told her to prepare for at least five more years of waiting. Because of this, all her son wants more than anything in the world is for a healthy heart for her. That’s when the young boy decided to reach out to Santa Claus.
The letter read:
“Dear Santa,
I believe in you and the miracles, Santa I don’t want toys for me, only I want a healthy heart for my mom, she’s sick, her diagnostic is transposition of the great arteries (T.G.A). I’m sad for her she’s 46 years and I only 12, next March 18 I will be 13 teen, we need her for many years more, me and my Dad pray all days for mom. Only I want is to see my mom healthy and happy.
Thanks Santa,
Love you!!”
It reached the Channelview Fire Department in Texas and touched the hearts of the team so much that they decided to surprise him with a new bicycle and some toys from the community toy drive.
8. Ryan Suffern wished for kids to stop picking on his sister.
Karen Suffern is a mom to fraternal twins, Ryan and Amber. She knew it was expected of eight-year-olds to ask Santa for gadgets and toys for Christmas so she was deeply surprised at finding out what her son asked for.
“Dear Santa,
I wanted a remote control car and helicopter, but I don’t want that anymor. Kid at school are still picking on Amber and its not fair. I prayed that they will stop but god is bisy and needs your help.”
It was tough for Karen to read the letter. While she tries her best to build up her daughter’s self-esteem, she shares that even she is on the receiving end of hurtful words because of her weight problem. The single mom only had a vague idea of what her daughter was facing in school. It was her son’s letter that made her realize just how deep the problem was.
“If my kids don’t call names and pick on others, I would expect other parents to teach their kids to be respectful, too.”
7. Lauren Jackson found comfort and hope in Santa.
During a trip to the mall for a visit to Santa, Kelly Jackson couldn’t help but notice how wonderfully different Santa’s interaction with the kids was. It was more than just having them whisper what they wanted for Christmas – there seemed to be some kind of magic in each moment. Lauren, her daughter, noticed how the little girl before them had on hearing devices. Then she proceeded to tell her mom that Santa had some on, too!
When it was finally their turn, Kelly saw how quickly Santa noticed her daughter’s back brace. Shortly after, she saw her daughter feeling his back. An “elf” confirmed that Santa indeed had a back brace himself. It looked like a simple exchange between a hopeful little girl and Santa Claus but it ended with Santa in tears. Santa and Lauren found comfort in the fact that they were on the same page and their circumstances weren’t so terrible after all.
“Lauren cried just yesterday about her brace hurting as she often does, but today she found out Santa wears a brace too and he told her he knows just how she feels. I told Phil it was MAGICAL! He could relate to the girl with hearing devices and then could surprisingly relate to a girl with a hidden disability? A back brace? Coincidence? Magic?”
6. Ronnie Harris asked Santa for a cure for his dad’s cancer.
“Dear Santa,
This Christmas I would like one spacific thing this year. My dad has a really bad brain tuma & if you could, could you please find a cure for him to make him better & I will be the happiest boy in the world! ☺
Merry Christmas!
Yours Sincearely,
Ronnie Harris”
Emma Harris stumbled across her son’s touching letter to Santa as she was cleaning his room one day.
“I was just cleaning Ronnie’s bedroom when I found it shoved under his bed. I was very touched. It was heart-wrenching to think that a child of his age doesn’t want anything for himself for Christmas.”
Ronnie loves his dad so much that there was even an instance when the young boy came home from school, distraught at having finished runners-up in a table tennis competition. According to Emma, Ronnie wanted so badly to win the match for his dad. Emma shares how she cares for her husband 24/7 and tends to her kids needs the best way she can, but Ronnie does things he shouldn’t have to do just yet, like making breakfast for his brother or learning to cook.
5. Christian Hickey wanted Santa to help the police catch the people who hurt him.
When Christian Hickey of Salford, UK answered the door of their home, they saw two men standing there, one of whom shot Christian and his mom in the legs. The little boy and his mom needed surgery but fortunately are recovering from their injuries. Because of the traumatizing ordeal, Christian decided to ask Santa for help. His wishlist included toys, gadgets, video games, and for Santa to “help the police catch the people who hurt me.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Russ Jackson can only the describe the letter as heartwrenching.
“What happened to Christian will stay with him for the rest of his life but what we can do is try to make this up to him by finding those responsible and bringing them to justice.”
4. Sarah and her brother made a magical Christmas wish.
A little boy and his grandmother went to see Santa at Mayfair Mall in Wisconsin. Instead of excitement and eagerness, the little boy seemed a bit sad. As he climbed on Santa’s lap, the old man noticed the little boy held a photo a little girl. It turned out to be the boy’s sister, Sarah. The boy proceeded to explain how Sarah was very sick and how she badly wanted to be there to see Santa. The grandmother was tearful as she watched the exchange. Then, after the little boy ran off to collect his gift from the elves, the grandmother approached Santa to quietly ask for a simple wish for Sarah.
“My granddaughter, well, you see she has leukemia and isn’t expected to make it even through the holidays. Is there any way, Santa, any possible way that you could come see Sarah? That’s all she’s asked for for Christmas, is to see Santa.”
Santa knew what he needed to do, so after seeing the rest of the little boys and girls, he made his way to the hospital where Sarah was. As he entered the room, the frail little girl on the hospital bed shrieked with excitement. Her Christmas wish came true! Santa did come to see her. After Santa and Sarah talked about her wishlist, Santa felt compelled to pray for her. The family gladly obliged and they gathered around the sick girl to pray.
Before ending the visit, Santa left one hopeful message for Sarah.
“Now, Sarah, you have a job to do, and that is to concentrate on getting well. I want you to have fun playing with your friends this summer, and I expect to see you at my house at Mayfair Mall this time next year!”
One year after, as he was back in Mayfair Mall to see the children, Santa was surprised by a visit from a very special little girl – one who reminded him of his visit to her last year. It was a happy, healthy Sarah, finally cancer-free.
3. This big sister spent her wish for her little brother.
Back in 1990, Santa had a very sweet encounter with two siblings. During a visit to disadvantaged children, one little boy climbed on his lap and asked for a Nintendo set. Then, after seeing a few more kids, it was another little girl’s turn. She told Santa quietly how she didn’t want anything for herself that Christmas. Instead, she asked that he give her little brother a Nintendo set. Realizing she was the big sister of the boy he’d spoken to earlier, Santa was touched at the little girl’s selfless wish.
In true Santa fashion, he pulled through with the help of his friends. After successfully putting together the set for the little boy, Santa drove to his house to surprise him. Not only that, he gifted the thoughtful big sister with a new bicycle, too, and a 27-inch television for the family.
Thanks to the young girl’s selfless Christmas wish, her brother was able to receive the gift he always wanted.
2. Terminally ill little boy asked to see Santa one last time.
Santa received a call from a nurse who said a very sick five-year-old boy wanted very much to see him. The boy didn’t have much time, so Santa rushed to the hospital immediately. When he arrived, the boy’s mom handed him a Paw Patrol toy to give to the boy. Knowing how heartbreaking the situation was, Santa quietly told the family it would be best to leave the room if they felt they would break down anytime soon.
In walked Santa to see the sick little boy who looked very weak. Trying to keep the mood light, Santa sat on the boy’s bed.
“Say, what’s this I hear about you’re gonna miss Christmas? There’s no way you can miss Christmas. Why, you’re my Number One elf!”
The surprised little boy was amazed at what he heard. After struggling to open the gift Santa held out, the boy smiled and got ready to ask Santa his questions.
“They say I’m gonna die. How can I tell when I get to where I’m going?”
And Santa had the perfect answer.
“When you get there, you tell them you’re Santa’s Number One elf, and I know they’ll let you in.”
“They will?”
“Sure!”
“Santa, can you help me?”
Santa replied by holding the boy close in a hug. It was at that moment that the little one passed, right in Santa’s arms, just after his Christmas wish came true for the last time.
1. Little girl asked Santa if she could have her mom back.
Santa was anticipating a list of all things special and nice from the children present during his visit. But one little girl’s Christmas wish had him feeling heartbroken. The little girl was accompanied by her sister and her dad, who was holding a little baby in his arms. When Santa asked her what she wanted for Christmas, she said all she wanted was to have her mom back.
Santa learned that the girl’s mother died during childbirth and that this was their first Christmas without her. It was such a distressing moment for both Santa and the family that it turned out to be the last time the man behind the suit would play Santa again.
The innocence and selflessness of children sure have a way of ushering us back to reality – that life is far from perfect but we can always afford to be hopeful and kind. Despite unfortunate circumstances, these young ones always find a way to see the silver lining. Their heartfelt wishes inspire us to pause and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, and remind us to always be grateful for all we have been blessed with.
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