(ANSA) - Rome commuters of all ages and with all kinds of problems are asking Santa Claus for a helping hand by sticking messages to him on a huge Christmas tree in the city's main railway station.
The six-metre tree in the main concourse is now covered in hundreds of hastily scribbled notes urging the seasonal gift provider to produce everything from world peace to the latest computer game.
Although a Christmas tree has been erected in Rome's Termini station many times before, this is the first year rail travellers have decided to use it as a hotline to Santa, entrusting it with their most private desires. As one local newspaper noted, the tree has become a sort of catalogue of the hopes and fears of the cross section of Italian society which passes through the station each day.
Some of the messages are simple lists of gifts that would be appreciated on December 25, occasionally garnished with a thought for the rest of the world. "I'm four years old. I would like an end to all wars, a play station, the Winnie-the-Pooh game and pinball," was the succinct message from a boy called Francesco.
Other letter writers, clearly fed up with life as a commuter, wanted major changes in their lives. "Please, I want a derailment in my life which is running on rails which are too straight and regular," said one, while another said: "I'd like to win the national lottery or at least have an air ticket to Brazil."
Love was a common theme in the calls for a special Christmas gift.
"Dear Father Christmas, I only want one present this Christmas. Please give me back my ex-boyfriend Stefano. I've tried to be as good as I can this year," wrote a girl who signed herself Natalia. Another girl, possibly a friend, wrote: "I've been going
out with Fabio for two and a half months. For Christmas I'd like him to understand that I'm falling in love with him and I'd also like him to find the courage to say he loves me."
Several messages referred to sad personal circumstances that the authors clearly hoped might be resolved.
"This year I'd like to have my father back, please," wrote Francesca, without giving any more details. A girl called Anastasia asked Santa Claus to help his mother "find someone to be my daddy".
"Please can you get my uncle out of Rebibbia," asked another forlorn voice, referring to Rome's main prison. Employment and job security were another frequent worry, as in: "The present we'd like is a lovely full time contract. From Angela and Sabina."
A group letter, signed by half a dozen people who had attended a training course in Rome, asked for "management to agree a new labour contract" along with "harmony and justice in the office."
School and university were also on many people's minds. There were many requests for success in exams and a few cries from the heart, such as: "Dear Father Christmas, why don't you just burn our school down?"
A few young writers wanted Santa Claus to sort their whole lives out for them as soon as possible. Giancarlo said simply that he wanted "happiness for my whole life". Another at least had clear ideas about what that meant: "I want a life full of rave parties that goes on until I drop dead," said someone called Massimo.
Most of the message writers appeared confident that Santa Claus would be able to help them with their problems, and several noted that they deserved help for having been "good" during 2005. But one little yellow piece of paper placed in a prominent position expressed a quite different attitude. "Dear Father Christmas," it said. "Given that I'm always good - good as gold in fact - and I never get anything nice, this year just ignore me, OK. Love Mara."
