7-year-old student shocks teacher with heartbreaking letter to Santa
A first-grade teacher in Texas was shocked and saddened by a letter written by one of her students to Santa.
The teacher, Ruth Espiricueta, asked her students to write a letter with one thing they want and one thing they need this Christmas.
It was designed to help them learn the difference between needs and wants, but Ms Espiricueta was shocked by some of the letters she read later that day.
The teacher shared one letter that really affected her on Facebook. It read:
“Dear Santa Claus, I have [been] good this day. This Christmas I would like a ball and a food. I need a [blanket],” the girl had written.
Ms Espiricueta shared a photo of the letter, writing, “As a teacher it breaks my heart when I hear them ask for things that we sometimes take for granted.”
The teacher was not expecting her students to ask for such basic needs as food and warmth.
Speaking with the child the next day about the letter, the young student explained that she would like a ball to share with her brother, and some eggs for their family to eat.
In an interview with ABC News, Ms Espiricueta explained, "Some of my students were not even excited about Christmas because they know that their parents can not afford to buy a Christmas tree or gifts for them.”
The revelation has prompted the teacher to start a donation drive to collect 720 blankets for students in need. ABC News reports that they have already collected 616.
Have you been affected by hardship at Christmas time? Did anyone reach out to you? Share your story with us in the comments.