My family spent Christmas 1997 in New York. I recently found the letters that my then seven-year-old’s classmates wrote to him
The fantastical and the mundane run into each other: 'The Black Cauldron,' writes one girl, 'is about a boy with a magic pig. Daddy and I are reading The Little Princess. Jim’s nail fell off in the yard.' Photograph: iStockof 1997 was the first one we spent away from home. I had gone to work as drama critic of the Daily News in New York. My wife took a year’s leave of absence from her teaching job and our two boys, then aged seven and 11, came with us.
Another boy wonders whether his friend will ever come back from New York: “I got a bike from Santa. It is a very nice bike. Santa is not greedy. I hope Santa came to the right place for you. I went to DCU Christmas camp. It was great. We did keep a place for you. I am still your best friend in the class. But New York is better and nicer. USA is the best place in the world. I saw Spice World. It is not very good. I hope you come back soon.
On the other hand, mundane events loom large: “I went to the park with Mammy and the dog for a walk, the dog jumped into the water. When he came out he jumped on Mammy and dirtied her dress. She had to get it washed. She was annoyed but we had a party later with nuts and brack. I got the ring so I will have to get married.”
All events have equal importance: “My guinea pig escaped. We learned a new song called La Cucaracha. Mary McAleese is the new president. And when Jenny and Nora were cleaning the mop fell in the loo and Evelyn had to get it.”
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