To celebrate Christmas (hurrah! we’re nearly there!) four well-known Kiwis have penned a special letter to Santa. While they’re not exactly things he might be able to wrap up and deliver down the chimney, we’d love to see him help out on these four special wishes this year…
Welcome to our new column, A Letter To… In the coming months some of our most well-known Kiwis and everyday heroes will be penning letters about a topic close to their hearts. Some of their names you will know very well, while others will be kept anonymous to protect the privacy of the subjects. Whether it is a letter to a specific someone, or a group of people, or simply an open letter to broach a difficult subject, each will be very different, but all will share one common thread: they will all be written from the heart. You can read our other letters here.
‘Dear Santa, I Wish for Women to Get into Their Togs & Get in the Water!’
Meg Mansell, Radio announcer and Capsule Columnist
Dear Santa,
This year I wish for women to get in their togs and get in the water. Every summer I hear about women, in particular Mums, sitting on the sidelines when it comes to outings at the beach or the pool or any body of water on a hot day.
This year I would love for those beautiful souls to dip in further than their toes and cool down with their friends and family. I wish for them to forget about their bodies, and just enjoy the love, laughter and feeling of water on their skin – their make-up sliding off their faces or better yet not wearing anything but sunblock and just letting go of any judgements they fear receiving. I would really love to see that this Christmas.
x Meg
‘Dear Santa, Can You Help Me Sprinkle a Little Bravery into the Hearts of New Couples?’
Bridgette Jackson, Certified Divorce/Separation & Relationship Coach
Dear Santa,
I hope the North Pole is its usual magical self, bustling with joy and the sound of jingling bells.
This Christmas, I have a rather ambitious wish list. If you can help to reach more people with the knowledge to nurture their relationships, or if they must part ways, do so with respect and kindness, it would prevent so much heartache, especially for children.
I wish people would stop trying to win over the former love of their lives at all costs when they separate and that people would become more informed about relationship responsibilities. I also need to find a way for this Government to address the outdated and unfit-for-purpose Property [Relationships] Act 1976. Are you as tired as I am of seeing people hide money and assets from the former love of their lives to come out on top because, knowing that the children go down, too?
Santa, can you help me sprinkle a little bravery into the hearts of new couples? This would make them bold enough to have hard but courageous conversations when their relationships are thriving, not just when they fall apart. I would love a world where people are as excited to talk about their long-term future together and the shared caregiving, finances, and legal side as they are about where they will go for dinner. I know it will save marriages.
If you have extra stardust, please sprinkle it on children so parents won’t disparage their ex in front of them. Most of them don’t choose separation, and their emotional scars last a lifetime. I know that you know most will wish the same as me—to have both mum and dad in their lives without conflict.
My final wish—and not one for me—is that women and men get comfortable knowing what they own and owe, individually and as a couple. I just know they would be happier and able to thrive on their own and in their relationships.
Santa, I know your magic has limits, but these are my heartfelt hopes. I love what I do, but if you help me with some of it, it will help me achieve what feels like an impossible dream: to be unemployed and perusing the situations vacant.
Thank you for keeping the magic alive for adults and children alike. I’ll leave out some cookies and a carrot for Rudolph—fuel for the big night ahead.
Warmly,
Bridgette
‘Dear Santa, My Wish is for Women to Know and Feel Their True Power… & Feel Worthy of Love & Pleasure ALL THE TIME.’
Morgan Penn, Somatic Sexologist
Dear Daddy Claus….. Too much??? 😉
My xmas wish for 2025 is for women to know and feel their true power. To feel worthy of love and pleasure all the time, not just when the “conditions are right”.
I wish that as a society we could normalise pleasure and prioritise it, knowing that it makes us happier people, better partners, parents and coworkers. Our skin can glow, our mental health can improve. Pleasure helps us destress and sleep better. We are often so tired and exhausted that pleasure, intimacy and sex gets put on the back burner.
Which is why I have launched a product that takes the effort out of getting in the mood. The GLOW wand helps initiate desire, wakes up the whole body and all you have to do is place it where it feels good. It’s great for singles that want to feel yummy massage touch and to learn more about your own eroticism and it’s the best secret tool for couples to use on each other to start an intimate session (sometimes getting started is the hardest part). Partner this with some hot clear communication and you’ve got the cream on top of the pav! Oooh communication reminds me of another wish (Sorry Daddy Claus I’m greedy this year) I wish that women can use their voice to speak up about their needs and desires for their body and sensual tastes.
x Morgan
‘Dear Santa, I’d really love a baby’
Anonymous
Dear Santa,
I got the greatest gift seven years ago – a son. He’s what I’d wanted forever. I still can’t believe he’s mine. As you know, I was in my early 30s when I got pregnant, almost first crack at it.
I lapped up that baby time, but it was also really hard at times. It was all so new, the hormones were hard and at times I felt completely overwhelmed. I wanted another baby, a little friend for our son, but we wanted to give it some time. I felt I needed some time.
But we left it too long. He was three when we started trying. I was 35. I thought I had plenty more time. We’ve been trying for four years – we’ve taken every test, tried IVF, everything. We’ve used money we don’t have. There’s no explanation, just negative pregnancy tests time after time.
I’m going to be 40 very soon and I’m afraid. My grandmother had my mum when she was 44, so I know it’s not impossible, but I’m still afraid.
I feel selfish Santa. I should be asking you for world peace. If that’s something you can deliver – you should!
I should be so happy I have one child. I’m so happy I have a child! But, I feel like our family is missing something. Our story doesn’t feel finished.
If you possibly can, could you bring me a baby?
x Me
