Read JFK's letter reassuring a little girl that Santa is safe from nuclear bombs

President John F. Kennedy reassured a little girl that Santa was safe.
(Image credit: Photo courtesy of Kennedy Library Archives/Newsmakers)

Michelle Rochon can still remember worrying about Santa Claus' safety when she was 8 years old, during the height of the Cold War in 1961. "I knew nuclear bombs were bad," she recalled to CBC News. "And if [the Russians] were testing them at the North Pole, what was Santa going to do?"

There was one man who she thought could answer her concerns — President John F. Kennedy.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.