Dear Santa,

I know who you are so I should address this as "Dear Mom and Dad" but I won't. "Dear Santa" keeps something alive that you spent so many years creating for us. Santa is what made my sister and I get so excited about Christmastime when we were younger and knowing it was you all along makes it even more special.

The time and effort you both put into making us believe each year was unforgettable. From eating the milk and cookies, to letting us sprinkle reindeer food on the lawn, and during Santa's more technological years, helping us track him on the computer so we knew when to rush to bed.

Thank you both for spending so much time running around making sure you got everything on our Christmas lists. Thank you even more for going back out when we changed our minds because of a commercial and HAD to have something else a week before Christmas. Of course we didn't know it was you when we were younger so we figured Santa wouldn't have a problem with the change, but now I do apologize for the inconvenience.

I'm sure it was difficult the years we found out Santa was you, but how amazing it must have felt to have kept something, and someone, alive for so long. Introducing us to his story when we were younger, helping us write him letters, and of course, reminding us to be good because he was always watching. That last part may have been more in your favor, but we'll let that slide since it was clearly a lot of work.

Waking up Christmas morning was, and still is, my favorite time of the year. Regardless that we're older now and we know who Santa is, the excitement is still there. Even though we know you guys aren't checking to make sure Santa is gone Christmas morning, we will still wait at the top of the stairs until we're told to come down. The feelings and memories we grew up with will never go away.

One day, if we're lucky enough to start the magic of Santa with our own families, I can't wait for you both to join back in on something you began for us years ago. How grateful we are for believing in someone so special…that happened to be the two of you.

Love always.