Secret Santa

 

Thoughts before reading:

Sorry for the terrible picture, it was weirdly difficult to find a decent one.

Yet again, I have not read this book before. I wish I had, because along with the Chain Letter, I know I would have adored it when I was a kid. This kind of gimmick was right up my alley, and I would have probably been obsessed with it.

The basics:

The BSC is doing a Secret Santa for Christmas, only instead of gifts, they're doing wishes. (I actually really love this idea.) Everyone draws someone else's wish at random, and then tries to grant it for them. 

In addition to this, the girls are volunteering with a charity called Santa's Helpers, where you play Santa for a disadvantaged kid. They are assigned to a little girl named Eliza Stanley, whose parents have both lost their jobs. She wants a Barbie and a book, but mostly just wants her runaway 16 year old sister to come home. 

The BSC members send her gifts along with a letter to Eliza's mom, who thanks them and explains that her sister is living with an uncle in New Hope. Claudia tracks her down, and they have a reunion on Christmas Eve. 

As for the wishes, Kristy's is to not have such a big mouth (since when does she worry about this?). Mary Anne gets her name, and decides to try to get in touch with her father, because she knows that's what Kristy really wants. Every year Kristy sends him a Christmas card, but he rarely sends one back. 

Mallory wishes to be remembered forever (a weird concern at age 11, but okay). Logan draws her name, and he has a maple tree planted at SMS in her honor. There's even a plaque with her name.

Shannon wishes for a better sense of humor (sort of a waste, since she could work on this herself). Jessi has her name, and buys her a book of jokes and some practical jokes.

Stacey wishes to be in NYC at Christmastime. (Later this is clarified: what she really wants is to be in NYC with both her parents together on Christmas day. Makes a lot more sense, since she sees her dad on vacations anyway.) Claudia grants her wish by painting a mural of NYC at Christmastime in her room.

Logan wishes for three more wishes (wasted opportunity, if you ask me, but funny). Stacey draws his name, and gives him a lucky penny, a four leaf clover, and a wishbone.

Claudia wishes that she could do something meaningful for somebody (which she doesn't need a wish to do...). Mallory has her name, and writes her a sweet note telling her she granted the wish herself by helping Eliza and her sister, but she was already meaningful before.

Mary Anne wishes that Cam Geary would write to her for real, not just a generic fan letter (really boring and kinda selfish). Dawn draws her name, and writes to Cam on her behalf, sending a handwritten card for him to sign. He does, and sends it back to Mary Anne.

Jessi wishes to dance with the NYC ballet (finally a decent wish!). Shannon has her name, and gets her a postcard print with her picture, saying she's starring in the Nutcracker Suite at the NYC ballet. 

Dawn wishes for both clubs to be better friends. Kristy gets her wish, and makes her a scrapbook with her Stoneybrook friends and her California friends. (Why not start a pen pal program instead?)

The book ends with a card to Kristy from her dad.

Timeline:

We've skipped ahead to Christmastime from where we left off in October. 

Misc. thoughts:

*The book opens with Karen's Christmas list, and it's honestly adorable.

*Dawn's stamp is only $0.19, all the others are $0.29. 

*Jessi sends Stacey a nice Christmas card saying how terrific she thinks she is, and how maturely she handles her diabetes.

*A lot of the wishes in here were a let down and not very creative, but this was a great concept. I'd love to do something like this instead of a gift exchange.

Books mentioned:

*Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl

*Dear Mr. Henshaw, by Beverly Cleary

*The Polar Express, by Chris van Allsburg

*Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

My rating:

4 stars. I actually really liked this. It was festive and sweet, and most of the cards were adorable.