A CHRISTMAS wish made by a little girl from Hawkesbury was answered on Saturday thanks to Santa’s elves and the village’s post office.

Eight-year-old Kiera Keating, as with many children in Hawkesbury, delivered a Christmas wish-list to the Christmas post box which is put up every year by the staff in the post office, who in turn reply to each letter.

The only difference with Kiera’s letter however was that the Hawkesbury Primary School pupil had included an extra letter without her parents Anja and Daniel knowing, asking for a donkey.

“The post box is a tradition we have always done,” said sub-postmaster Dick Blundell.

“Because we know pretty much all the families in the area we are able to adjust each response to the family, and the letters this year are what we have come to expect since we started the service.

“But then this year, when we had a letter asking for a donkey, it really stood out and we wanted to do something different, so I got in touch with Kiera’s parents as quickly as I could.”

A surprised Anja was told to play along and bring the family to the post office on Christmas Eve, where Georgina the donkey was waiting to meet her along with owner Katherine Lee, who was dressed as an elf.

Anja said: “On Christmas Eve I told her that the elves had just phoned and told us we needed to go to the post office as there was another present they had delivered.

“We got there and her face just lit up. I don’t think she had expected Santa to respond like that!”

Keira and her six-year-old sister Lexi then spent the evening playing with Georgina, feeding her and going for a ride, before taking her back to her home in Hawkesbury.

“Kiera has had it in her head for a while that we should be getting a donkey, but we are planning to go travelling as a family next year so it really isn’t feasible,” said Anja.

“It clearly hasn’t put her off though as she still asked Santa for one without us knowing.”

“The surprise was brilliant and really made her Christmas and she hasn’t stopped going on about it.

“When she found out the donkey lived nearby and got to take it home, she wasn’t so worried about saying goodbye.

“I would really like say a massive thankyou to Dick and Fiona at the post office for their work in organising all of this, and to Kath for agreeing.

“It was such a simple idea, but for a family who has just moved to the area only a few months ago it has really made us feel like we belong.”