For many children in the world Winter is a very cold but very fun time of the year. A time for playing in the snow and having snowball fights, ice-skating, sledding, sleigh-riding, and making snow angels and snowmen. And then there are the children who live in more southern regions in the world and don't see any cold or snow at Wintertime.

Such was the case with eleven-year-old Alicia Makarios For her whole life she had never seen or felt any real snow. She lived in the Southern most part of California and for her Wintertime just meant more hot sun and the same green scenery of everything. She was not content with this for she had seen snow in movies on TV and her mother who had been born and raised in Ohio had often told her about how much fun the snow in the Wintertime brought to her when she was young.

It was now December and as she looked out the window she saw the sun shining down on everything and as always it was all green and colorful but no white could be seen. She sighed as she turned away from the window.

"Has it ever snowed in California?" she asked her mother.

"Never in our time, my dear," her mother replied. "Maybe millions of years ago when the Earth was much cooler during the ice age."

"I wish it would snow," said Alicia wistfully. "The way you talk about it from when you were my age makes it sound so wonderful."

"If we could only afford to take a Christmas vacation in the North I'm sure you would find it wonderful," said her mother. "But unfortunately we can't. So if you want to see white at Christmas time you'll have to go down to the white sandy beach. Or," her mother added as an afterthought, "You could always write to Santa Claus and ask him if he could do anything to make your wish come true."

Alicia was astounded at this suggestion, and then it occurred to her that it really was a good idea. After all she believed in Santa Claus and that he could do anything; and besides what did she have to lose by asking him? So she went into her room and sat at her desk with a pen and paper and began to write to Santa Claus.

Dear Santa Claus,

I live in Southern California and it never snows here even at Christmas time. But I wish it would snow so then I could play and have fun in it like my mother used to. I ask for only one thing from you for this Christmas, that it will snow where I live. If there is anything you can do to make my wish come true, please do so.

Sincerely, Alicia Makarios

When she had finished writing the letter she put it into a white envelope and licked the flap shut and then put stamps on it in the upper right corner to send Airmail Special Delivery. Then she went down to her mailbox and mailed it.

I wonder if Santa can really make my wish come true, she thought to herself as she went back into her house.

At the Northern most point of the North Pole the snow was falling down from the sky onto great drifts of snow illuminated by the sun's rays which made them sparkle just like diamonds. It was here that an airplane carrying mail landed next to a white and red striped mailbox which read Santa Claus – North Pole on it. A delivery man got out and deposited a special delivery into it before getting back into the plane and taking off again.

It was shortly afterward that a small elf with floppy ears and a long nose wearing a pointed hat with a jingle bell on top and green tunic with leafy trimmings and red leggings came up to the mailbox, opened it, and retrieved the mail inside and on reading the addressing on it hurried into a nearby red brick house with a snow topped roof.

Inside the house a tall and large old man with white hair and a long curly beard wearing a red and white trimmed suit and matching cap was sitting in an easy chair at a desk reading over a long list of important names. This was, of course, Santa Claus double checking his list of naughty or nice children of this year.

Just then the elf came running up to him carrying the letter in his hand. "This just arrived for you through Airmail Special Delivery, Mr. Claus, sir!" he exclaimed.

"Ho ho! Thank you, Jolie," replied Santa in a jolly way. He took the letter from the elf and opened the envelope and carefully read over the letter inside it. When he had finished reading it his face took on a more serious expression. He seemed to be in deep thought for a few moments and then he spoke:

"Jolie, go and fetch me Rudolph at once. I have a very important thing for him to do."

"Right away, sir!" said Jolie and he was off in a flash.

Jolie returned shortly with a small brown reindeer with a bright shiny red nose that glowed almost like a light bulb.

"You wanted to see me, Santa?" asked Rudolph.

"Yes, Rudolph," replied Santa. "I need to go and get Jack Frost for me and bring him here as there is something I want him to do for me."

"Yes, sir!" said Rudolph and he took off through the air and was soon out of sight.

Rudolph returned soon with Jack Frost who looked much like a regular elf except his skin was bluish white and his elven-like outfit was pale blue and dark blue. He stepped up to Santa and took off his hat with a graceful bow.

"At your service, Santa," he said. "You wanted me to do something for you?"

"Yes, Jack," said Santa. "I have just received this letter from a little girl by the name of Alicia Makarios, and she happens to be in my top five list of very nice children. She lives in Southern California where it never snows for Winter and she says she wants to see it snow. So therefore I am asking you to please go to where she lives and bring snow to it."

Jack Frost was quite surprised at Santa's request. He was also delighted though for he had never seen California before and now he could and also get to bring snow to it and give the children there a proper Wintertime.

"Why, I'd love to, Santa, really I would," he said. "But there is still a problem, though. I cannot last long in such hot and humid weather as Southern California, and also even if I could the climate there is bound to reject my snow and turn it into rain or fog."

"Yes, I know," said Santa. "And I have already thought of how to solve that." He went to a cupboard and took out a small vial of a blue liquid. "When you drink this potion you will be able to not only withstand the climate of Southern California but you will also be powerful enough to bring as much snow as you want to it, though for a limited amount of land which should anyway be just enough to cover where Alicia lives."

Jack Frost looked with his crystal blue eyes sparkling with immense delight as he took the vial of the potion and drank it all. Instantly he felt his magic gain a powerful surge of strength and he couldn't wait to get out and try it out.

"Thank you, Santa," he said brightly. "I will not let you down and I will give Alicia the happiest Christmas she could ever wish for!"

And with that he vanished in a great gust of wind which took him to where he needed to go.