By Mike Shands

Mountain Times Page 10-B
December 14, 2000

Santa Claus is catching up with the times. In today's high-tech world cellular phones, fax machines, and gigabytes, children send their letters to Santa through the Internet with the help of High Country resident Seigler West.

West's website, www.santasnow.org, allows children to mail their Christmas wish letters electronically without stamps and envelopes. It also gives them a chance to chat with Jolly Old St. Nick online.

"I started doing this several years ago because I like children and wanted to give the, young or old, a place where they could go at no charge and write to Santa." West said.

"I'm like a kid at heart, Christmas has always been an important time of the year for me. It's something that I've always enjoyed. It's always been my happiest time of the year."

Through the years, thousands of children have contacted Santa through West's website. "(Santa) gets letters from all over the world through the site, "West said, He's received letters from Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Greece, Finland and Guatemala."

West always enjoys sneaking a peek at letters from kids of all ages, whether they're 2 or 92.

"There was an 82-year old man who wrote to Santa saying something to the effect that he wanted Santa to write a letter to his granddaughter to straighten her out because she was misbehaving," West said.

So Santa send a letter to the little girl, elaborating on what her grandfather had written.

"It said, I hear that you've been naughty, and your grandfather has asked me to write to you to ask you to straighten up so I can come see you,`" West said.

(Santa) got a letter back from the grandfather saying he got a response from his granddaughter telling him she was going to straighten up. Then she wrote to Santa, saying that she was sorry and would try to be good."

Kids can also chat with Santa, usually after 5:30 p.m. EST.

"When Santa is alerted that somebody wants to chat with him, he just starts chatting," West said. You don't have to download a program or anything."

West's website also features several links to other Christmas-related sites.

Children aren't the only ones who benefit from online letters, West said.

"It gives (Santa) a way of reading a little bit faster. He can read it right there on the Internet as they come in," West said.

History of the Town of
Santa Claus, Indiana
The naming of the town of Santa Claus, Indiana.