This year, Santa letters have changed and the effects of the recession on kids are obviously deep. In times gone by, kids asked for toys. Now they are telling Santa about how mommy and daddy can’t find a job and they don’t have any money. Kids are just asking for clothes for Christmas.

ABC News reported from a New York post office that out of several million Santa letters that postal workers open, read and sort, the vast majority of them asked for basic needs for Christmas. It’s very telling about the state of our country when most children are asking for clothes, food, and the same for their brothers and sisters, or jobs, coats and shoes for their parents. Style and colors of clothes and shoes aren’t mentioned; only sizes, which also tells me that these kids aren’t messing around. They really need these things.

If you are interested in answering a few Santa letters from kids this year, try going down to the post office or checking their website to see if some of the letters are posted up there. Austin charities are also running out of time for receiving donations, so you could try donating clothes or toys through Brown Santa or Blue Santa.

Very few Santa letters asked for selfish wants like toys. The recession has taught children to think of others rather than themselves. This is a good thing in my opinion, but is it causing kids to grow up too fast? If so, can the realities of the recession be hidden from a child? Is the stress of our current economic times going to permanently damage our kids’ development or will it create a smarter, stronger, selfless generation who lives smarter and works harder? Will the recession create a new "Greatest Generation"?

Read the ABC News report on Yahoo! Here. 

This photo is courtesy of Lu Morgan.