The letter was lovely. It told the story in one beautiful paragraph.

“Dear Joni. My friend, Ryan Miller, who goes to State Street School in Brewer, will be 10 this weekend. For the second year in a row, Ryan doesn’t want his friends to bring presents to his party. Instead, he has asked everyone to bring a bag of food for the local food cupboard. I think it’s nice. Sincerely, Sam Boyd, age 10.”

You are right, Sam, it is nice.

I spoke with Ryan’s mother, Sunni Miller of Brewer, and asked what prompted her son to celebrate his December birthday in such a manner.

“In October or November of last year, he heard about an older boy in New Hampshire who had a party and asked friends to bring food in lieu of gifts,” she explained.

“Ryan zeroed right in on it.” So, last year when he turned 9, he started a new birthday tradition, which he expanded upon this year.

On Saturday, Dec. 9, Ryan Miller and 33 friends gathered at the Bangor-Brewer YWCA. They arrived with arms full of groceries.

“We rented the gym for an hour and a half and the pool for one hour,” Ryan’s mother said.

“When the kids arrived, we had a gift table set up, and they put their groceries there. Bob Merriam from Manna Inc. came to collect the items. The kids helped him load it into the car. We had 45 bags of groceries.”

Merriam spoke to the party-goers, she said, and reminded them it wasn’t just the birthday boy who is special, but each of them because their gifts were helping others.

Ryan, we are told, plans to do this every year for his birthday. He wants this type of party, he told his mom, “because it is better to give than receive.”

And while that phrase may be a well-used one, its meaning is no less significant because it is heard often.

“For a 10-year-old to feel that is amazing,” Ryan’s mother said. We agree.

Ryan hopes the idea catches on, he told his mom, “because it feels so good.”

We are thrilled with today’s Project Arian update.

Eleven-year-old bone marrow recipient Arian Haghkerdar of Bangor has been released from isolation at Children’s Hospital Wisconsin in Milwaukee and is now “at home” in her Wisconsin apartment.

Today is Day 34 in the countdown to Day 40 when data should be available indicating how her body has reacted to the transplant. Arian is making daily visits to the hospital as an outpatient.

Her address is Marriott Residence Inn, 950 South Pinehurst Court, Unit 1022, Brooksfield, Wis. 53005.

Here is public recognition from the better-late-than-never department, acknowledging the outstanding effort of more than 95 people — from small children to 84-year-olds — who braved a rainy day last fall to walk for breast cancer awareness in Pittsfield.

The three-mile walk, a cooperative effort under the direction of Anne Doan and Bev Breau of Sebasticook Valley Hospital and Marianne Ferrato of the G.S. Building Systems Wellness Center, raised more than $3,200 for the American Cancer Society, SVH breast cancer awareness education, and ENCORE, a local support group that works in conjunction with the Bangor-Brewer YWCA.

Participants supported the cause by walking for a family member or friend with breast cancer, or in memory of those who have died from the disease.

Several local professionals and businesses contributed to the success of the event by providing support items from water to apples for energy.

We certainly can appreciate the concern of James Lyford of Presque Isle who finds it difficult to explain to children who come by his family’s home at 120 Barton St. and wonder where Santa Claus is.

For years, the Lyford family has placed a Christmas display on their front lawn for all to enjoy. The display includes Santa and Mrs. Claus, elves and reindeer.

But now, Santa is missing. A person or persons apparently removed him without permission, leaving a void for all to see.

What a nice turn of events it would be — for the Lyford family and everyone who drives by their display — if the responsible party or parties could find the courage to return Santa to his Presque Isle home.

It wouldn’t be an easy thing to do — admitting an error in judgment never is — but in the spirit of the season and the interest of a healthy conscience, it would be worth it.

The return of “The Barton Street Santa” could be a gift for the soul.

The Standpipe, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.