Kids write heartbreaking letters to Santa for ‘clean clothes please’

By Adam Dutton via SWNS

The cost of living crisis was laid bare after children wrote heartbreaking letters to Santa asking for “clean clothes” while another boy said he was used to getting "nothing".

Landlords of The Percy Arms pub invited underprivileged kids to write their festive wishes on tags and hang them on their Christmas tree.

Generous customers would then pick a tag and make the child's wish come true by buying them a present.

In a stark reminder of the struggles many are going through, the staff was stunned by some of the Christmas wishes they read.

An 8-year-old girl wrote: “Clean clothes, please. Mine are dirty. Size 8-9 years.”

Another tag from a 15-year-old girl said: “A present for my dad. He’s sad since my mom died and not in a good place.”

A note a 6-year-old girl wrote said: "Something to make with mommy."

Another note, written on behalf of a 17-year-old boy said: “Anything, as he’s used to getting nothing.”

Staff at the pub say they were “blown away” by the humble festive wishes and hope the majority of the children will have their wishes made real.

The pub, in Chatton, Northumberland, is part of a community organization Christmas For All, which has created a gift tag for each child, giving their age and gender and outlining their request.

Locals are invited to choose one, fulfill the request and return the gifts to the pub, which will pass them to Christmas For All to be distributed to the children.

Organizer Oliver Bennet said the children’s requests “had shaken each and every one of us to the core".

He added: “You can read about hardship and food banks and poverty.

“But to see, written down in black and white, young children asking simply for some clean clothes for Christmas – well, that really hits you.

“And many of them – despite having so little themselves – put others’ happiness before their own.

“That’s the real spirit of Christmas isn’t it – and it’s heartbreaking that it’s taking children to remind us of that.”

The organization is looking for gifts for around 2,000 children in southeast Northumberland alone.