Merry Christmas From Moscow

I am updating you from a roof-top in Moscow. I am taking a brief break as the reindeer eat a basket of apples and carrots. Our deliveries tonight are right on schedule. I'm traveling with a skeleton crew as this is a much smaller operation than our annual December 24th journey. Our primary deliveries are in Russia, the Ukraine, and Egypt with a few other stops around the world. Jingle and Mrs. Claus are staffing the flight operations. Blitzen & Comet, along with two other reindeer you may not know - Blazer and Star, are travelling with me. We have about 75 elves who volunteered to take a break from their vacations and come back to support all of the other logistics associated with tonight's journey.

Many of you may not know that Christmas is celebrated Saturday, January 7th in Egypt, Russia, the Ukraine, and much of Eastern Europe. Orthodox Christians believe that January 7th is the actual birth date of Jesus, and not December 25th. As such, every January 6th, I deliver the gifts across Russia, Ukraine, and a few other countries with the help of Jingle and a volunteer group of elves.

I encourage all of you to celebrate Christmas in Russia today by surprising some one - any one - today with an act of unexpected generousity or kindness. You will find that, like me on Christmas morning, you too will receive a priceless gift.

Merry Christmas, Everyone.

From Russia With Love,
Father Frost (as I am known by the children here)