Man helping Santa reply to letters froze when one boy asked for nothing — only made a heartbreaking request for his hardworking mom
A child's holiday request can catch even Santa off guard. At The Well community center in Hilliard, a retired production director named Ray Watford helps Santa answer letters from children, reading each one carefully. As reported by The Columbus Dispatch on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, Watford usually encounters requests for toys, gadgets, and games, but one letter he received recently made him pause and reflect on the deeper meaning behind these messages.
Watford described the letter as simple but profound. “Block letters. Deliberate. Each word placed like a stone,” he recalled. There were no toys, no games, no lists of wishes, just a heartfelt plea for his mother’s life to be a little easier, noting, "she works too hard." For a moment, all the usual concerns of naughty and nice lists, presents, and holiday schedules disappeared. Watford said it made him reflect on how children notice the world around them, often understanding struggles and sacrifices before adults realize it. “Children write what they live. What they see. What weighs on them during quiet moments. Some carry catalogs of toys. Some carry guilt they can’t quite name. Some carry worries meant for bigger shoulders,” he explained, hinting that empathy and concern often arrive quietly and early in life.
On Santa’s behalf, Watford wrote back to the boy, reassuring him that he was on the good list and reminding him how much his mother loved him. “And I told him, something adults too often forget to say: She is lucky to have a boy like you,” Watford shared. He noted that the letter might end up on a refrigerator or tucked away for a difficult day, but its meaning would endure. Reflecting on the experience, Watford added, “Because that’s the truth. Love runs both ways. To be truly seen by your child–what greater gift could a parent receive? With careful letters and an open heart, this boy had already given his mother something no tree could hold.” For him, and for anyone who reads it, that single letter captures the spirit of Christmas in the simplest and most powerful way.
Children have the purest hearts, and another sweet letter to Santa proved this beyond doubt. An 8-year-old girl named Nadia wrote a letter asking for nothing for herself, explaining that she already had toys, a home, a family, and love. Instead, she offered to make something for Santa, writing, “So this year, I want to make you something. So tell me what you want. I will make it. Love, Nadia.” Her mom discovered the letter and shared it online, saying, “When I found it, my heart melted, and I cried.” She explained that Christmas has always been about love, happiness, and family in their home, and that Nadia had learned the spirit of giving and the importance of family above material gifts. The post also included a picture of Nadia, and her mom added that her daughter is a fun-loving, happy child who genuinely cares for everyone.