Thom Yorke Writes Letter to Santa, Asks for Peace + Reading Glasses

All Thom Yorke wants for Christmas is peace, reading glasses and for Father Christmas to stiff oil company execs.

In celebration of the holiday season and the archaic practice of snail mail, the Radiohead frontman has penned his 2016 letter to Santa. Yorke’s sweet piece of correspondence arrives just in time for National Letter Writing Day and is part of Letter Live’s ongoing Letters of Noel project, which enlists a host of actors, musicians and artists to write letters to Santa.

“Since I wrote to you last when I was 9 I have tried to be good, but sometimes failed spectacularly,” Yorke writes (via NME). “I have also tried to do what I’m told but often have delighted in doing the exact opposite. But always I have tried to give love and try not to cause hurt.”

He goes on to ask for a “beautiful Christmas with love and understanding and peace” for his children. He also requests Santa withhold any gifts that might otherwise go to oil company executives and the politicians in their pockets. Oh, and he’d like a pair of blue reading glasses. Read his letter in full below:

dear father christmas

it is years since i wrote to you.
i hope this letter finds you well and that the snow is still continuing to fall up in lapland.

here it is mostly rain. not even jumper weather yet!
but the christmas albums are already being played in the shops.
that must be so embarrassing for you.

i know this year you will be exceptionally busy for you.
we all expect a little too much of you now i think.
and there are so many imposters on television. even in the street.

since i wrote to you last when i was 9 i have tried to be good, but sometimes failed spectacularly.
i have also tried to do what i’m told but often have delighted in doing the exact opposite.
but always i have tried to give love and try not to cause hurt.

so
dear father christmas
what i’m saying is ..

now that i’m 47, if i have any last remaining credit with you, i have just these small requests.

that my kids have a beautiful christmas
with love and understanding and peace.
perhaps some heavy snow? that would be really great.
and can you just send the precious things that will really mean something to them?
and can you send them some hope for the future. that is very important.

i won’t ask you to solve the problems of the human race. those are our problems alone.

but perhaps this year you would consider not giving any presents to oil company executives and the politicians whose influence they buy?

and for me? just some reading glasses.. : / the blue ones.

yours completely sincerely

Thom

p.s. thanks for the zx81 computer when i was 11. that was really wicked.