Sept. 15th, 2026
Dear Santa,
I know I’m supposed to ask for something sensible. New socks. A good coat. The kind of thing that shows up wrapped and doesn’t take much explaining.
But I’ve been good this year (mostly) so I’m going to ask for what I actually want.
I want a bit that is one of a kind. Not something off a rack, something somebody sat down and built from scratch.
I want spurs with a little weight to them — the kind that get passed down instead of replaced.
I want a buckle that means something. One to wear with pride, that took a silversmith real time at the bench to get right.
I want a set of chaps that fit like they were built for the exact way I sit a saddle, because — again — they were.
Oh, and can you throw in a nice little clutch for my gal? I know she’d like something fancy to take on the town.
I know what you’re going to say, Santa. That kind of thing takes time. It’s not off a shelf. Somebody’s got to sit down in their shop at the bench, and actually make it, by hand, the slow way.
But I figure you, of all people, understand that better than anybody. Your whole operation runs on elves who make things the slow way too. So I think you’ll understand why I’m asking early this year instead of waiting until the week before.
I don’t need much. Just the good stuff. And I know the good stuff takes time to make right.
Merry Christmas,
— A cowboy who knows better than to wait
P.S. — Not everything on a good Christmas list needs six weeks and a bench. Sometimes it’s the ready made stuff that gets remembered longest: a pocket knife + sheath, handmade jewelry, a stack of kitchen towels for the person who’s always in the kitchen, a wool cap for the one who never dresses warm enough. Even the stocking itself is worth wrapping — ours is real denim, built to last more than one Christmas morning.
