A Christmas Tale: Evair Jr

About two weeks ago, my wife Cláudia ended up with a letter which she handed over to me with a smile. The envelope, addressed to Santa Claus, had been painted green by hand with the use of crayons and contained a few lines written by a fifth-grader. The request was simple and straightforward: the boy’s mother was unemployed and couldn’t afford any presents, so he wished for a football and a pair of Palmeiras socks. The letter made no reference to a father; my guess is that he’s absent, like so many others. The letter was signed “Evair”.

Cláudia and I immediately went to work and a few clicks later not only the ball and the socks but also a personalised Palmeiras jersey had been ordered. We will never know, but delightfully imagine the look on little Evair’s face as he reads the letter that Santa addressed to the boy with a name so intimately linked with Palmeiras’ glorious history.

There is no greater joy than giving. Thank you Evair for granting us such joy. And may Palmeiras be a source of joy for you for the rest of your days. Stay true, stay pure. Always keep the faith. God bless!

And to each and every one of you, dear readers: Merry Christmas! Feliz Natal! God Jul! Buon Natale! Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah! Feliz Navidad! Shenoraavor Nor Dari Yev Pari Gaghand! Zorionak Eta Urte Berri On! Nedeleg Laouen Na Bloavezh Mat! Tchestita Koleda! Bon Nadal! Gun Tso Sun Tan’gung Haw Sun! Kung His Hsin Nien Bing Chu Shen Tan! Sretan Bozic! Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce! Glædelig Jul! Vrolijk Kerstfeest! Ruumsaid Juulup|Hi! Cristmas-E-Shoma Mobarak Bashad! Hyvaa Joulua! Joyeux Noel! Nollaig Chridheil! Froehliche Weihnachten! Kala Christouyenna! Mele Kalikimaka! Mo’adim Lesimkha! Shub Naya Baras! Kellemes Karacsonyi Unnepeket! Gledileg Jol! Selamat Hari Natal! Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah! Nollaig Shona Dhuit! Buone Feste Natalizie! Shinnen Omedeto! Sung Tan Chuk Ha! Prieci’gus Ziemsve’tkus Un Laimi’gu Jauno Gadu! Priecigus Ziemassvetkus! Linksmu Kaledu! Sreken Bozhik! God Jul! Maligayan Pasko! Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia! Sarbatori Vesele! Pozdrevlyayu S Prazdnikom Rozhdestva Is Novim Godom! Buorrit Juovllat! Hristos Se Rodi! Sretan Bozic! Nollaig Chridheil Huibh! Subha Nath Thalak Vewa! Vesele Vianoce! Vesele Bozicne! Sawadee Pee Mai! Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun! Srozhdestvom Kristovym! Chung Mung Giang Sinh! Nadolig Llawen! Cestitamo Bozic!

Kristian Bengtson