Like most youngsters, Jonathan Robichaud is excited about putting snacks around the chimney for Santa and his reindeer. In the Robichaud household, Santa is left chocolate chip cookies and a latte, and his reindeer get carrots and celery.

What sets Jonathan apart from most kids is the content of his wish list. The nine-year-old tech lover’s letter to Santa requested robotics equipment and software that surprised even his father, Paul Robichaud, a statistical analyst for Bell Aliant.

 “I knew Jon loved technology and knew a lot about it, but I didn’t realize the depth of his knowledge. I went online to research how he intends to use these items together,” said Paul, who has done a lot to encourage Jon’s interests.

Father and son often work together on projects, and this year Paul and Jon, together with Jon’s mom Jennifer and sister Emily, vacationed in Silicon Valley so Jon could see the Google headquarters.

Jon’s parents were pleased and proud when they read what their son wrote to Santa:

Dear Santa,

This is what I would like for Christmas:

Ultimate microcontroller pack; Make electronics component pack (1 or 2 — whatever one Mom and Dad picked); Two Adafruit arduino wireless Proto Shields; Two Xbee series 2; And here are some stocking stuffers: MiFare Classic RFID charm, headphone jack, a few RGB LEDs and IR LEDs.

Yours truly,

Jonathan

Also skates size four, a soldering station and a digital multimeter.

P.S. If I could choose between me getting presents or kids in need, I would choose kids in need.

Sitting in a Halifax coffee shop with his friend Adam Elford, Jonathan is straightforward about his wish list.

 “I’ve been interested in this stuff for a long time,” said the Sir Charles Tupper student as he and Adam enjoyed hot chocolate.

 “I want to start my own electronics company or maybe be an imagineer at Disney World and build rides. Or maybe I’ll work for Apple or Google.”

Jonathan, now in Grade 4, researches his ideas online. YouTube is a big help, especially the Maker Shed site. In the summer, he completed a private tutorial on writing computer code with Java-Script, and he can’t wait to move on to Python because Python is the language used in designing games.

If Santa is generous, Jonathan intends to use his gifts to redesign a safe by incorporating a radio-frequency shield that monitors identity on swipe cards.

With regard to his P.S. to Santa, Jonathan said it is important to think of kids in poorer countries.

“In school last year, we had Chat to the Future,” he said.

Chat to the Future, or CHAT (Care and Hope through Adoption and Technology), allows kids in Atlantic Canada schools to connect with children in an orphanage in Uganda. The Canadian children use entrepreneurial models to operate a small orphans home in Kampala. Kids review the annual budget, find innovative solutions to problems, fund items such as rent and school fees, and pursue a goal of long-term sustainability.

Skype sessions allow the children to connect to sing, dance and ask questions. CHAT certainly connected with Jonathan.

“When I saw where they lived and where they went to school, well, … it made me realize.”