Use your heart instead of AI to write your Letter to Santa
By Katherine R. Dougan
Use your heart instead of AI to write your Letter to Santa
As Clinton Courier readers know, I have the distinct honor and pleasure of writing a yearly story about Santa for The Clinton Courier. I’m connected like no other person, because I have not only direct contact with Santa for an interview, but I have also ridden in his rocket-powered sleigh while blazing through the night skies across the world.
This year, we’re talking on our cell phones, as Santa is enjoying a work-free evening at his cozy North Pole home. I’m at my desk in Clinton with a cup of hot chocolate as I write. It is 38 degrees outside this evening, so it feels like Christmas—and maybe even snow—are right around the corner.
Last year, I wrote about snow envy, which is absolutely a thing. And, since snow is predicted for Christmas here this year, I’m extra excited.
Every year during my Santa interview, I learn something that absolutely nobody else knows about Santa. News straight from the Big Guy in a Red Suit’s mouth to my ears. This year is a doozy. Prepare yourselves.
Although Santa is as computer-savvy as most everybody else, enjoys high-tech features in his sleigh and uses the latest technology to streamline production at his workshop, Santa is definitely NOT high tech when it comes to your Letters to Santa.
And just like he knows whether you are sleeping or awake—and whether you’ve been bad or good—he absolutely WON’T be fooled by a letter crafted using Artificial Intelligence. Whether it’s ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, or whatever else is trending this week, Santa says he can tell when a machine is doing the talking.
The Jolly Old Elf is not being old-fashioned or weird about technology; after all, he was the world’s first entity to process “Big Data”—the Naughty or Nice list—in real time.
His problem with a machine making determinations about people is that it doesn’t factor in magic.
“A machine calculates data; I measure the intent of the heart,” Santa explained. “You cannot automate empathy.”
His somewhat ominous warning from Santa: If you fake-write a letter using a computer, you might just have a computer leaving you gifts instead of Santa.
The elves, however, are huge fans of route planning and efficiency. They love shaving milliseconds off the schedule and tightening up the timing—because when you’re delivering gifts around the world in one night, every tiny improvement matters.
Santa, instead, relies on Rudolph for the route. Santa only uses GPS as a backup system for when the magic dust runs low.
So, yes, Santa uses plenty of technology. But he refuses to outsource what matters most. The point of a letter, he reminded me, isn’t to be perfect. It’s to be REAL.
Now, it’s up to you. So, sit down with your sharpened pencil and crayons, and write a letter to Santa from your heart. It doesn’t matter if you make a backwards “b,” smudge the page or crinkle the paper. Your letters and dreams bring magic to Santa that he uses to make your Christmas wishes come true.
And from me, I wish you all tidings of great joy and a magical Christmas.
EDITOR’S NOTE: In The Clinton Courier’s fifteen years of publishing, Katherine R. Dougan has hosted a dozen special interviews with Santa. We are grateful for her personal connection that offers our readers special insight into Santa’s personality and ideas each holiday season.
