"Dear Father Christmas..." Celebrities reveal their Christmas wishlists
BY READERS DIGEST
1st Jan 2015 Celebrities
Writing a letter to Father Christmas is a tradition practised every year by millions of children worldwide. This year, Live Letters have asked some big names to send their wish lists ands messages of thanks to the big man in the red suit.
"Dear Father Christmas…"
Benedict Cumberbatch
“It’s not for us to turn around and plead for your help with the environment, the migrant crisis, the NHS, education, food banks, human rights, fundamentalism and wars. Though God knows we need all the help we can get…you are for the children. Children who need some magic in a world where the borders between innocence and responsibility, playful imagination and cold, adult obstacles are continually shrinking. And this is what I’d like to ask you to help with. A little more time for those children to be children.”
Jarvis Cocker
"Replacement hubcaps for 1986 Chrysler Town & Country, Pot noodle, Guided missile that only kills evil people & leaves nice people completely unscathed (see British MOD for details), Cords with 32" waist, 35" leg & 15" flare, Reverse-action SodaStream (for de-carbonising atmosphere - should work shouldn't it? & then we could fire all the captured CO2 out into space in the form of "cosmic burps"), Cashmere underpants, Sexy glasses, Jeremy Corbyn's fishing hat, Driving gloves.
PS: chimney has been cleaned - jackdaw nest removed. Mince pie, carrot & Bailey's in usual spot. Please take care on new carpet."
Thom Yorke
“I won’t ask you to solve the problems of the human race. Those are our problems alone…but perhaps this year you would consider not giving any presents to oil company executives and the politicians whose influence they buy?…and for me, some reading glasses.. the blue ones”
Russel Brand
“I’ve got some obvious questions around physics…(rotund tum vs narrow chimney, travel time etc) and some ideological questions about the net human gain from a jolly celestial benefactor granting consumer goods…anyway, I’m rambling. Thank you for Jeremy Corbyn, Charlotte Church and the new series of Peep Show”
Annie Lennox
“If there’s anything I might request, it would be something completely different. Could you ensure that entire generations aren’t forced to flee their homes in cities, towns and villages in worn torn countries from Syria, to Nigeria because they are being continuously bombed, burned and brutalized at every turn?….Could you very kindly put some sanity and compassion in the hearts of the criminal profiteers of hatred, bloodshed and warfare? Thank you Santa…I truly wish you existed for grown ups”
Shami Chakabarati
“I am not sure that you can help with my wish or even that I believe that you read these letters anymore. Perhaps these days your correspondence goes straight to a limb of the State or to a global retail corporate who then converts a child’s desire for this or that piece of merchandise into a miraculous suggestion in a hapless parent’s e-basket. But hope springs eternal and so I ask whoever is reading to tweak the consciences of the powerful so as to empower the vulnerable. In 2015, let’s save our Human Rights Act.”
Thandie Newton
“My request is that you let Mrs Claus come this year. Yes, your silent partner, I know she’s the force that keeps you full of beans. You wouldn’t be so jolly, energetic and kind without the presence of a woman in your life. She must be FANTASTIC. You must love her to bits. You should come too, to share the load, but it would be an enormous inspiration for all of us to feel her awesomeness!”
Yenn Martel
“So I ask this of you, only this, Father Christmas, please could you double your output? On one extra day (in summer perhaps – we do tire of winter), could you come down from your snowy realm and spread good cheer to all? Make it so that on one additional day of the year we make Christmas-like effort to be lovingly kind to all and everyone.” – Yann Martel
Lemn Sissay
“Father Christmas, my request is a simple one: Clouds. Give my people clouds and then let the clouds give them rain. Let the song of rain surround my people. Let the rhythm of rain drums upon my people.”
All the letters were instigated by Letters Live is a live celebration of the enduring power of literary correspondence. It was inspired by Shaun Usher’s international best-selling Letters of Note.
The live shows bring a whole host of names and celebrities to the stage. Watch some of their best bits below.
