At his office in the Arctic Circle, Santa has been through the good times and the bad. This year, however, is particularly tough for St. Nick. He knows that the wishes of many children around the world will go unfulfilled. 　　Santa Claus: "It's been a difficult year, a lot of people have suffered, financial crisis, nature catastrophes and other serious problems. Because of this I think it is especially important that children and people around the globe will have a very good Christmas. 　　Santa's own post office in Rovaniemi, Finland receives more than 600,000 letters from children every year. And, this year, is no different-- despite the troubles, children still believe in Father Christmas. Santa Claus: "I think it's very important that people keep up the positive thinking and the real Christmas spirit. 　　You can do it by helping others, reaching the helping hand or go through a charity organizations, or just look around in your neighborhood if there is somebody you can help. 　　" Rovaniemi has many rivals to the claim of being the 'real' home of Santa. Still, this village, home to Santa, his elves and their reindeers, is a popular tourist destination, with more than half a million people visiting each year. All to see that the Christmas spirit is alive and well-- no matter the troubled times we live in. (Andrew Schmertz/Reuters)