(Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

LETTERS TO SANTA

Santa’s helper still writing after more than three decades

Dec 11, 2019 | 4:44 PM

KAMLOOPS — It takes a lot of time to write a letter back to every child who sends their Christmas wish list to Santa.

It’s been 34 years of it for one volunteer in particular, but Izzy McQueen’s passion for taking on thousands of Santa-approved letters has not faded.

It’s the busiest time of year for the man in the red suit, so each year McQueen steps in to help lend Santa a hand.

“You know what, I enjoy this. I really do,” says McQueen. “This makes Christmas for me, it really does. To see all these kids and what they write.”

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The annual campaign has kept Santa’s helper up to date on new trends, and what sort of toys kids want. McQueen regularly peruses the flyers at this time of year to make sure she has an idea of what items kids are talking about.

“It’s hard to read. But I did ask the teachers to please send lists because sometimes you can’t understand the writing. I mean they try hard, they’re just little kids,” she laughs. “Sometimes you have to be a detective too.”

With over three decades of responses given out, McQueen has begun to see her efforts continue through different generations.

“Of course I’m getting now — “Oh, you used to send me a Santa letter, and now you’re sending my grandchildren letters,” she laughs. “So its kind of fun you know, it really is.”

Her letter writing has even been acknowledged by England’s royal family.

“I did send some to the Duke and the Duchess, and I got three or four letters from them,” McQueen says, while pulling out photos sent with the letters back. “I’ve got to find out what Prince Harry’s little guy’s name is, and I’m going to send him one.”

This year was a bit of a slower start for getting the initial letters, and McQueen says some have arrived without a return address. But with the 87-year-old’s determination, even late arrivals will get a response from Santa.

“I’ve got five boys (who have sent letters) — Ethan, Christian, Louis, Phoenix, and Brayden. There are five or six kids and they’re not going to get letters,” she stresses. “So if the mother sees this, please phone me or send a letter, just write HoHoHo and it’ll come to my house and I’ll get it to them. I just feel so bad when they don’t get letters.”

By the time December 25 rolls around, Izzy McQueen will have written a response to kids all around the Kamloops area.

“I got up at 6:00 a.m this morning and I finished one bunch, and I just finished another bunch,” she says. “It takes a while. I can do about 25 letters in an hour. I get the standard letter but if the kids have got a question, you want to answer them.”

Her volunteerism doesn’t just apply to the holiday season. Throughout the rest of the year, McQueen is active within the community and attending just about every Blazers hockey game.

“Between my Lions club, and hockey, I keep busy, I really do,” she says. “And I wind up taking ladies shopping. So there’s always something to do.”

The letter writing job is meant to bring joy to kids during Christmas, but McQueen says the act lifts her spirits too.

“Now can you imagine kids this age talking about wanting peace on earth and no wars, and people fighting and what have you, and look after the animals,” she says while recalling past letters. “I tell you, sometimes I think the kids have more brains than the parents.”