Esteemed BOSS Santa,

Thank you ever so much for the update, I'm very much looking forward to your communications. I'm also relieved to hear that no elves were harmed in the process :-) I wouldn't mind, though, if one or two elves were indeed stuck to the parcel, you never know when a couple of replacement elves might come in handy. Already we've heard stories of elves getting lost in China and some that may be on the verge of perishing off the Maine coast. Who knows, it might happen to some of mine, too, when the time to deliver comes..

Hot glue gun taken away, you say? Health and Safety do tend to have a dampening effect on all sort of revelries, these days, don't they? I mean, what's the harm in letting a few harmless elves have some fun with a hot glue gun..? Authorities, indeed!!

Your instructions regarding the whens, wheres and whys have been duly noted and taken ad notam. Things shall be carried out according to your instructions, oh esteemed BOSS, and to the letter.

There's a dog leaning heavily on me here, tail wagging, ears pricked - insofar as dacshhund ears can at all be pricked - and tongue lolling. He wants to know if he may consider himeself "a person" in this respect? Or do only two-leggers qualify for that description by your standards? He would like to make it clear that he has all of 12 years of practice and experience in opening his own christmas presents, so opening one would pose no problem whatsoever..

He also wanted to sign himself "hopefully yours", but I told him I'll have none of that, as I consider him "hopefully mine". Hopefully, you don't mind, Esteemed BOSS Santa.

Reverent and expectant greetings from Denmark,

Bente