PH to China: Respect, sincerity are key to sea row dialogue

By: Frances Mangosing - Reporter / @FMangosingINQPhilippine Daily Inquirer 

The Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Sindangan isblocked by a China Coast Guard vessel during a resupply mission to Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in October. china sea row dialogue

HARASSMENT The Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Sindangan is blocked by a China Coast Guard vessel during a resupply mission to Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in October. —GERALDFORD TICKE

China should first stop its hostile actions at sea before it enters into a dialogue with the Philippines, an official of the National Security Council (NSC) said on Tuesday, amid worsening tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

The territorial disputes between the two countries have grown more tense this year as Beijing seeks to assert its maritime dominance in the South China Sea.

“Dialogues can only succeed in an atmosphere of mutual respect and sincerity between two sovereign nations. The Philippines is ready to reciprocate provided that the bullying, harassment, and aggressive actions are ended immediately,” NSC spokesperson and Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said in a statement.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Monday said China was open to a dialogue, stressing her government was ready to work with the Philippines to handle maritime issues through negotiation and consultation.

But Mao, at the same time, asserted Beijing’s claims over nearly the entire South China Sea, including those within the 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines.

“China will not weaken in its resolve to protect its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” she said.

“For months, the Philippines has been making provocations on Ren’ai Jiao (Ayungin Shoal) and other issues and drawing forces outside the region into those issues. China is compelled under those circumstances to take necessary measures to firmly respond to it,” she said.

Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal is a low-tide elevation within the Philippines’ EEZ and continental shelf, one of the country’s nine occupied features in the Kalayaan Island Group, or the Spratlys. Chinese ships have been harassing resupply vessels to BRP Sierra Madre, the grounded warship that serves as a Philippine military outpost in Ayungin.

“We welcome China’s offer of dialogue, negotiation, and consultation but for it to prosper, China must immediately stop its bullying, aggressive actions, and illegal moves in the West Philippine Sea which seriously undermine… regional peace and security,” Malaya said.

A 2016 arbitral ruling voided China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea, but Beijing has refused to recognize the decision.

Root of tensions

According to Malaya, China is “the only country that believes its own propaganda” and no single nation has expressed support for its so-called 10-dash line that supposedly defines China’s territory.

The boundaries set by China overlap into the exclusive economic zones of rival claimants like the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

“The root of all these tensions is its non-adherence to international law, Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), and the 2016 Arbitral Award. As the world has seen, it is not the Philippines that has been engaged in provocations, bullying and aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea,” Malaya said.

“It is not the Philippines that has been doing laser pointing, water cannoning, dangerous maneuvers, blocking, swarming, etc. In fact, the Philippines has been very restrained and responsible but the same cannot be said of China,” he said.

Chinese activities against Philippine vessels, harassment of fishermen and other activities “that infringe… upon the Philippines’ sovereignty and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea are clear violations of international law,” he added.

Last week, the top diplomats of the Philippines and China spoke by telephone where they discussed the territorial disputes.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, “noted the importance of dialogue” in addressing the issues of concern.

Wang earlier accused the Philippines of “constantly provoking trouble at sea and undermining China’s legitimate and lawful rights.”

Domestic law

Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar, meanwhile, said Beijing was the one “committing all the violations” at sea, in response to accusations by China’s state-controlled newspaper, the People’s Daily, that the Philippines was stirring tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

“The Philippines relies on the support of external forces, ignores China’s goodwill and restraint, and repeatedly provokes China’s principles and bottom line,” said the commentary.

But Aguilar, at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon program by state-run People’s Television, said: “The Philippines is not provoking conflict. We follow international law and we are only implementing our domestic law, meaning the limits of our territorial waters and exclusive economic zone where we have sovereign rights.”

He accused China of starting hostile actions that sometimes risk collisions at sea.

The Philippines, Aguilar said, is boosting its alliances and has the support of other nations because its claims are backed by international law, including Unclos. —WITH A REPORT FROM REUTERS

Kim Chiu flaunts bikini body following split from Xian Lim

Kristofer Purnell - Philstar.com m Chiu via Instagram

MANILA, Philippines — Kapamilya host-actress Kim Chiu appears to be enjoying the single life just mere days after confirming she and longtime boyfriend Xian Lim called it quits.

Kim is celebrating the Christmas holidays with her family in Balesin Island, with her sister Lakam sharing some snippets of their vacation.

The host-actress too posted on her own Instagram account family photos, following them up with sizzling images of herself in the beach. 

"Opacarophile," Kim wrote in the caption, which means one who loves sunsets. "Grateful for small things, big things and everything in between!" she added with the hashtag #Chiurista.

Another photo set had Kim in a patterned bikini ensemble under a denim bottom as she posed by lanterns at dusk.

"3 C's in life. Choice. Chance. Change. Up to you what comes first," Kim wrote for that post's caption alongside emojis of the crescent moon, stars, and a white heart.

Sandwiched between the bikini posts was a photo set of Kim in a white outfit that had a photo of singer Mariah Carey and her iconic holiday song "All I Want For Christmas Is You," though Kim hilariously blurred out the last word so it could read "Chiu" instead.

Kim and Xian confirmed their breakup two days before Christmas, ending a relationship that lasted 12 years.

"We shared more than a decade of love, each other's support system, and many beautiful memories," Kim said at the time. "As we close this chapter, I ask for everyone's kindness and respect. I hope this clears everything as we all move forward with our lives."

SMC waives toll fees on New Year’s Eve

Motorists advised to plan for peak holiday traffic

BY MB DRIVE

Dec 29, 2023 09:43 AM

  

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San Miguel Corporation (SMC) announced it will again waive toll fees at all its expressways on the eve of New Year’s Day, an annual tradition the company’s infrastructure unit fulfills in the spirit of the holidays, and to show its appreciation for motorists’ continued patronage.

SMC Infrastructure said it will waive toll fees at the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), the Skyway System, NAIA Expressway, and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), on December 31, 10:00 PM to January 1, 2024, 6:00 AM.

“This annual tradition is our way of showing the Christmas spirit, especially for those who for some reason will have to travel late and try to get home to their loved ones. Through this, we hope to help spread the Filipino Christmas spirit, and also wish our countrymen well at the start of the new year,” the company said in a statement.

The company is also advising motorists heading in and out of Metro Manila to expect heavy traffic at all expressways as holiday traffic volume is expected to peak during the weekend.

It encouraged motorists to allot additional travel time especially if they are headed to transport hubs such as airports, sea ports, and bus terminals for their scheduled trips.

“We appeal to our motorists for patience with the anticipated heavy traffic around Metro Manila, and its impact to their scheduled flights or trips. We advise them to plan their trips ahead and allot more time for travel to make sure they come on time for their trips or flights,” the company said in a statement. 

Misleading advisory

The company also sought to provide clarity on the recent advisory from Philippine Airlines that urged air passengers to arrive at Ninoy Aquino International Airport three to four hours early due to a new toll booth setup at NAIAX Skyway exits.

“While we appreciate PAL's concern for passengers, we need to make sure that our stakeholders are getting accurate information to avoid confusion. There have been no recent modifications to the toll booth setups or operations at both NAIAX and Skyway toll plazas,” the company said.

The company reminds travelers, especially those catching their flights, to allow extra travel time due to the expected increase in traffic on the expressways.

It has deployed enough traffic management personnel to help keep vehicle traffic moving at exit plazas, in coordination with local police and traffic management offices of local government units.

All construction and improvement works at expressways have also been suspended to further help keep traffic flowing. 

The toll operator also reminded motorists to ensure they have enough load on their RFID accounts, and to keep their Autosweep RFID cards in their vehicles. These may be scanned in advance by ambulant tellers who are deployed to speed up exiting vehicles at toll plazas.

For motorists who have yet to get Autosweep RFID tags, the company encourages them to get their free Autosweep RFID stickers at any Autosweep customer service centers and Autosweep kiosks along South Luzon Expressway, Skyway System, NAIA Expressway, STAR tollway, and TPLEX.

GMA Pictures and GMA Public Affairs’ ‘Firefly’ is Metro Manila Film Festival’s Best Picture

BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT

Lights shone undoubtedly bright for ‘Firefly’ at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Gabi ng Parangal last Dec. 27, as the film took home three major awards among 15 nominations, including this year’s Best Picture nod.

It indeed pays to be brave.

Lights shone undoubtedly bright for ‘Firefly’ at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Gabi ng Parangal last Dec. 27, as the film took home three major awards among 15 nominations, including this year’s Best Picture nod.

Produced by GMA Pictures and GMA Public Affairs, Firefly likewise bested nine other entries in two more categories: Best Screenplay, which was won by GMA Public Affairs Senior AVP and Firefly creator Angeli Atienza, and Best Child Performer, which was conferred to GMA Sparkle child star Euwenn Mikaell.

It follows the story of Tonton (Euwenn), a young boy on a journey to find the mystical island of fireflies from his mother’s bedtime stories. Together with the companions he meets along the way, they set out on a quest of their dreams in search of the fireflies.

The film is also top-billed by award-winning actress Alessandra de Rossi, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Elay – Tonton’s mother in the film. Earning Best Supporting Actor nominations as well were Dingdong Dantes (who played the young Tonton) and Epy Quizon. Ysabel Ortega, Miguel Tanfelix, Cherry Pie Picache, Yayo Aguila, Kokoy de Santos, and Max Collins complete the ensemble.

Senior Vice President for GMA Pictures and First Vice President for GMA Public Affairs Nessa Valdellon shares her pride for Firefly’s recent MMFF achievements: “This means so much to GMA Public Affairs. Firefly is a story about a small boy with a big and heartfelt dream. It’s also the story of GMA Public Affairs, this small team that could. We were the underdog in the MMFF this year but somehow, magically, became the biggest winner of all.  So I just want to tell everyone to continue being brave and to believe in the power of stories!”

“My only hope is that more people watch and come to love Firefly, as it’s a film made with so much love and respect for our audience,” she added.

Behind the success of ‘Firefly’ is ‘Maria Clara at Ibarra’ director Zig Dulay, who heartwarmingly dedicates the film to his late mother. “Siya ang nagsilbing patunay sa akin na totoo ang mga superheroes na napapanood sa mga pelikula,” shared Dulay, who was also nominated for Best Director.

Award-winning cinematographer Neil Daza, who was nominated for Best Cinematography, further highlighted the film’s cinematic masterpiece.

The film was also shortlisted in various special awards including the Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence, Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award, Gender Sensitivity Award, and Best Float.

Also earning nominations for Firefly were Kenneth Kevin Villanueva (Best Production Design), Reality MM Studios Inc. (Best Visual Effects), and Len Calvo (Best Musical Score).

In its special screening last December 12, ‘Firefly’ received touching praises from Kapuso celebrities and personalities, including award-winning broadcast journalists Jessica Soho, Howie Severino, and Kara David, who all commended ‘Firefly’ for its powerful and moving storytelling.

Moviegoers echoed their sentiments amid the limited cinemas where the film was being shown during the first few days of the festival screening.

Firefly director Zig Dulay and GMA Network Senior Vice President Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes

Coming from the public’s clamor, more cinemas have been added to the list of theaters where Firefly can be seen.

The Metro Manila Film Festival continues to embody the highest standards of excellence in Filipino cinema, and ‘Firefly’ proudly cements its place as a top-performing masterpiece in this year’s film festival.

What are some good German wines?

By Volker Eichener

I start with the most obvious and best-known: riesling. Riesling is a grape that grows well in the rather cool German climate. It is also found in Alsace, California and South Africa. Riesling wines are usually very crisp and have delicate citrus notes, often combined with mineralic accents by the terroir. Good rieslings come from Mosel, Rhein, Ruwer, Nahe, Pfalz, also Baden (where riesling is called Klingelberger). Rieslings can be dry, sweet or very sweet, especially late harvests, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese or the rare Eiswein (wine made from frozen grapes, happens not every year). If the harvest is late, the wine may get a botrytis aroma. Some famous wineries include: Kloster Eberbach (Rheingau). Dr. Loosen (Mosel). Maximin Grünhaus (Ruwer). Robert Weil (Rheingau). Schloss Vollrads (Rheingau). Van Volxem (Mosel). Markgraf von Baden (Baden). Besides riesling, there are some other grape varieties to taste. Something very special is the wine region of Franken (Northern Bavaria). There, the sylvaner grape produces exzellent, aromatic wines with fine mineral tastes. Zehntkeller and Wirsching from Iphofen are great, also Juliusspital from Würzburg. The grape variety that is usually called pinot grigio, in German Grauburgunder, can be excellent, especially in the region Baden. Great producers are Alde Gott and Kellers Schwarzer Adler. A rare and lesser-known grape variety is Auxerrois which grows on the upper Mosel. Fruity, floral wines. Herber is an excellent winery. Germany is not so famous for red wines, but you may give these ones a try: Red wines from the Ahr, both fruity and mineralic, sometimes volcanic: Stodden, Meyer-Näkel, Adeneuer are the best wineries in the region. The premium red wine from Alde Gott, Alte Reben, from Baden is also recommendable.

10 PINAKA MALAMIG na LUGAR sa PILIPINAS 😱

73% of Filipinos expecting a ‘happy’ Christmas — SWS

Most thankful for good health, family, being alive

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Dec 24, 2023 09:49 AM

  

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Photo from Pixabay

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted from Dec. 8 to 11 revealed that 73 percent of adult Filipinos are expecting this year’s Christmas to be “happy” (masaya), while 6 percent are anticipating it to be “sad” (malungkot).

Meanwhile, 21 percent of Filipinos are expecting this Christmas to be neither happy nor sad.

“The 73 percent expecting a happy Christmas is the same as in 2022 and 23 points above the record-low 50 percent in 2020. It is still six points below the pre-pandemic level of 79 percent in 2019,” SWS said in its report released on Dec. 23. 

Expectation of happy Christmas hardly changes across all areas, educational levels

SWS noted that for 2023, those expecting a happy Christmas were highest in the Visayas at 78 percent, followed by Mindanao at 74 percent, Balance Luzon at 70 percent, and Metro Manila at 72 percent.

Compared to 2022, the expectation of a happy Christmas stayed at 78 percent in the Visayas, while it hardly changed from 75 percent in Mindanao, 71 percent in Balance Luzon, and 71 percent in Metro Manila.

Those expecting a happy Christmas also hardly changed across educational levels, SWS said. 

Compared to 2022, those expecting a happy Christmas hardly moved from 74 percent to 75 percent among college graduates, from 74 percent to 75 percent among junior high school graduates, from 73 percent to 71 percent among elementary graduates, and from 68 percent to 64 percent among non-elementary graduates.

Filipinos most thankful for good health, family, being alive

Grouping the responses to the open-ended question, “As Christmas and the end of the year approaches, may I know what one or two things are you most thankful for in your life right now?,” the December 2023 survey found 51 percent most thankful for “good health,” 29 percent for “family,” and 16 percent for “being alive.”

The respondents were allowed to give up to two answers.

Following the top three responses were job/career/income (10 percent), food to eat (8 percent), coping with daily hardships (8 percent), prosperity (5 percent), all the blessings (3 percent), education (3 percent), peace and safety (3 percent), and God (2 percent).

Meanwhile, 1 percent of the responses were related to lovelife/spouse, motorcycle/vehicle, surviving an illness or surgery, happy life, house, financial support, having no worries or problems, and material things. 

Less than 1 percent answered being able to help others (0.3 percent), while the rest of the other responses consisted of 1 percent.

The remaining 2 percent did not give an answer.

The fourth quarter 2023 SWS survey was fielded through face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide.

It has sampling error margins of ±2.8 percent for national percentages, and ±5.7 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

That Christmas feeling

And the magic of giving

BY JULES VIVAS

  

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AT A GLANCE

• The mystery of Christmas filled our hearts. We understood little, but we sensed a great deal. —Ferrol Sams,Christmas Gift

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(Photo Freepik)

Christmas isn’t simply a season of merrymaking. It is one big convolution. Even its history is unclear. Yuletide is believed to be rooted in several other significant occasions. Chief among them are the Winter Solstice, Saturnalia, and the Nativity of Jesus. The latter is the most common explanation for the Dec. 25 affair, especially since Christianity is one of the world’s predominant religions, with approximately 2.4 billion church members globally.

Needless to say, Christmas goes beyond religious undertakings. Neither is it just an excuse for gift-giving, cookie baking, shopping sprees, as well as brunches, lunches, and dinners with friends and family. The holiday is also a celebration of traditions, cultures, and—not often talked about—our emotions, which, if not celebrated, are at best examined, at worst indulged and consequently magnified, if not exaggerated.

Christmas in the Philippines, referred to in the vernacular as Pasko, from the Spanish word Pascua  and the Latin word Pascha, which both translate to “Passover,” is unique in such a way that the holiday is commemorated for four months. It starts from September and lasts a few days past December, otherwise called the “Ber Months.” We are the only Catholic country that observes Christmas for this extended length. 

Considering the state of the Philippines, a third-world nation, war-torn and oppressed by various colonizers over the past centuries, and geographically disaster-prone, found at the center of a typhoon belt and along boundaries of major tectonic plates, Christmas serves as a solace to us Filipinos who face extreme hardships almost all of the time.

Christmas serves as a good excuse for family and friends to gather, which in normal instances rarely ever happens because of the archipelagic nature of the Philippines and the busy schedules of everyone. The Christmas break allows us to take a breather from work and catch up with people we hold dear.

As a country of foodies, the Filipino Christmas feast or Noche Buena is the centerpiece of the celebrations. The dining table becomes as colorful as the handmade parols (ornamental lanterns) hanging outside each home, with a spread usually consisting of the lechon, crispy-skinned pit-roasted pig, which spells affluence; the sweet spaghetti meant for kids and not for your Italian friend; the kare-kare, a stew of oxtail, vegetables, and rich peanut sauce; crispy pata, deep fried pork leg to pair with beer; and the Filipino party staple, lumpia or spring rolls, adopted from the Chinese. Desserts are mostly rice-based like the puto bumbong, kakanin, biko, and bibingka, to name a few.

Suffice it to say, Filipinos find great pleasure in the biggest, longest festivity. 

Past the cultural and traditional experience, how does Christmas feel? In the words of author and minister Charles Poole, “In gladness and sorrow, Christmas feels just like most other days, only more so.” It is not only our happiness that is heightened but all of our senses and emotions, including nostalgia, sadness, sorrow, frustrations, stress, and profound losses.

Some feel anxious over finalizing end-of-year projects, buying the right presents, planning for holiday meals, attending social commitments, and, in most cases in the Philippines, not having enough resources to celebrate Christmas at all.

What this entails is that we shouldn’t force ourselves or others to be happy at all costs. We also shouldn’t set ourselves up for disappointment by expecting that we will be able to feel something new or different altogether just because the “Christmas Spirit” is in the air. Each of us has distinct situations, experiences, and upbringing, which lead to our complex emotions.

Instead of dwelling on our negative feelings, however, exercise inward looking. Ruminate on your problems and view them in a different light. Take a short break to understand yourself and manage how you feel. The essence of Christmas lies in recognizing that, amid the winter’s deepest darkness and chill, our happiness should not be dictated by nature but by our mindset and actions.

At the risk of sounding preachy, I hope that those blessed with overabundance and joy this season, share what they can without imposing. Those who are troubled, meanwhile, should not be ashamed to ask for help, or at least be open about their issues and release pent-up feelings.

The heart of Yuletide, after all, is giving. Those who have enough attention, courage, and love should impart what they can to others, especially to those in need. If you feel like you have less, just count your blessings and express gratitude for the affection, health, and happiness you have received throughout the year, no matter how little or lacking they might seem. This philosophy does not only apply to Christmas but every waking moment of our lives.

“A holy day has dawned upon us”

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

FINALLY, it’s Christmas! A child is born for us! Thus, in the Alleluia verse of the day’s Mass, we are made to say: “A holy day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations and adore the Lord. For today a great light has come upon the earth.”

It’s indeed a day of great, indescribable joy! In the Opening Prayer of the Mass for the day, a beautiful sentiment is expressed: “Lord God, we praise you for creating man, and still more, restoring him in Christ. Your Son shared our weakness: may we share his glory…”

Once again, our Christian faith tells us who we really are. Despite our natural awkwardness in believing this truth of our faith, the truth is that we have been created to be like God, to share in his very life and nature. And no amount of our sins and foolishness can detract from that truth. God will do everything to recover us. All we have to do is to go along with God’s will and ways as far as we can.

We need to process this truth of our faith about ourselves very slowly, because it will obviously astound us to think that we are supposed to be one with Christ. Who, me, one with Christ? We most likely would be tempted to say, tell it to the Marines!

But that’s just the naked truth about us, whether we like it or not.  We cannot be any other if we just bother to know why it is so. An expression that is relevant to this matter is ‘alter Christus,’ another Christ. And it’s worthwhile to know what it is all about.

We are supposed to be ‘alter Christus,’ the goal and ideal that is meant for us, though we need also to do our part, free beings as are, to achieve that status. God, our Creator and Father, wants us to be that way, though he does not impose it on us without our consent that should also be shown with deeds and not just with intentions and words.

We are supposed to be ‘alter Christus’ simply because, if we have been created in the image and likeness of God, and Christ is the Son of God who is the perfect image and likeness that God has of himself, then we can only conclude that we have to be like Christ.

In other words, Christ as the Son of God is the pattern of our humanity. If we want to know who we really are, how we ought to be, all we have to do is to look at Christ and try our best, with God’s grace, to identify ourselves with him.

More than that, because of our sin that defaced the original state in which we, in Adam and Eve, were created, Christ is the Son of God who became man to save us. The immediate conclusion we can derive from this truth of our faith is that for us to know how to handle our sinfulness, again all we have to do is to look at Christ and try our best, with God’s grace, to identify ourselves with him.

So, let’s welcome Christ to our life. At his birth on Christmas Day, we should also remind ourselves that Christ actually wants to be born in each of us, so we can truly be “alter Christus” (another Christ), if not, “ipse Christus” (Christ himself).

Have a Merry and Blessed Christmas, everyone!

Swedish post office keeps thousands of letters to Santa Claus

Agence France-Presse - Agence France-Presse

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Sweden's postal service is inundated every year with thousands of letters beginning with "Dear Santa," and it not only answers them but for over a century has kept those that stand out.

With addresses such as "Lapland," "Reindeer Land," or "Santa's Igloo," the postal service PostNord last year alone received around 16,000 letters intended for Father Christmas.

A few letters every year are selected for the museum's archives, a collection that now holds about 10,000 letters from around the world, the oldest dating back to the 1890s.

"These are from the US, from Asia, I have some here from Taiwan," said Kristina Olofsdotter, head of stamps at PostNord, at the Postmuseum in Stockholm.

Toys, pets, and books have topped children's wish lists over the years, as they do today — though children of yore were perhaps a little more modest in their expectations.

"You can see that in the old letters the kids asked for maybe one or two things, nowadays there are longer lists," Olofsdotter said.

Many of the letters, written in children's handwriting, also have questions for Santa.

Related: Christmas 2023, New Year 2024 happenings in Manila malls

"What is your favorite drink so that we know what to put out for you?" one young girl asked in the 1960s.

A four-year-old wanted to let Santa know she had just learned to write her name, while adding: "I hope your reindeer are well."

All of the letters are opened and read, and when a return address is provided, the museum sends a reply back.

Olofsdotter said the reply typically "says 'Hi from Santa', with thanks for the letter. And he says that he has got a lot of work to do up until Christmas and that he really appreciates the letter."

She says the return letter also encourages kids to brighten somebody's day by writing them a letter, and "to not forget that all your dreams can come true if you believe in yourself."

And it is not only children who send letters to Santa Claus: this year's batch contained a letter from Taiwan sent by a 20-year-old. — with reports by Viken Kantarci