So that letter I wrote as Santa
back in December?
Here were the replies I recieved (sitting on my desk when I got done with my 6th period class today):
In the letter from my 4th grader she said that since Santa gives presents to children every year, she decided to return the favor. I had forgotten that their family is in charge of one of the local shrines, this is a protective charm that they made. I'm assuming that it's in the shape of a cow since 2009 is the year of the cow (or bull or ox whatever you want to call it, it's all the same chinese character: 牛).