Christmas in out-of-home care: A young child’s Letter to Santa

Every year, thousands of Victorian children can’t live safely at home and enter out-of-home care programs, like foster, kinship and residential care.

For those children in care during the holidays, it can be an especially overwhelming and stressful time and many of them may never have experienced a happy Christmas.

With your help, we can make sure all children in care have a special gift to wake up to on Christmas morning – a soft toy, a book or their own personalised gift, chosen just for them.

We asked some of the kids in our care what they want for Christmas – and we just had to share this beautiful (and heart-breaking) ‘Letter to Santa’ from one young child (with their carer’s permission).

Christmas in out-of-home care: A young child’s Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

My name is [we’re keeping it a secret] and I’m [that's a secret too] years old.

I live in a house [that's all you need to know 🙂]. It has its up and downs.

My favourite part is we have schickens [sic] + one rooster. The rooster scares me sometimes.

My favourite things to do is play Fortnite, watch TV, play outside, eat party food.

I have a joke for you...

What did one grape say to the other grape? Stop whining : )

One thing I want for Christmas is to see my mum. I hope I do.

I hope you have a good rest of the year. Merry Christmas Santa

Love, [a child in one of our out-of-home care programs]

Christmas wish list: The top 10 items

1. Pyjamas
2. Clothes, shorts, T-shirt, socks
3. Fortnite voucher
4. Metal detector
5. Matchbox cars
6. Fortnite toys
7. Pokémon cards
8. Bike
9. Soccer net and ball
10. Pokémon, Fortnite, muscle car poster

We urgently need more than 500 gifts for children before Christmas

Your support is urgently needed to help Victoria’s most vulnerable children and young people experience the magic of Christmas.

Buy a special gift today and bring joy to a child in need.