Jon Caldara, by his own admission, is rarely a good boy, but that doesn’t keep the chief of the conservative Independence Institute in Denver from having holiday wishes.

“I have stopped asking Santa for my hair back,” said Caldara, who hosts “Devil’s Advocate” each Friday night on Colorado Public Television. “I am now asking Satan to turn everyone else on earth bald. I think Gov. Hickenlooper should get a stocking full of coal. Not because he’s been naughty, just because we should be burning it for fuel.

“For Christmas, I’m hoping Progressives grow a brain, Conservatives grow a heart and Colorado Republicans grow a spine. As we ring in the new year with a Republican-led federal tax cut we can thank Colorado Republicans for colluding with Democrats to raise taxes over $550 million a year via a hospital bed tax, without even going to the voters. And ultimately, I hope we finally just admit where this state is going and rename it ‘East California.'”

Colorado Politics made a list and checked it twice on who’s been naughty and who’s been nice, and we asked the state’s top politicos what they’d like for Christmas this year.

Hickenlooper was unavailable (to wish his old nemises Caldara health, hope and luscious mane), but Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne, the state’s chief operating officer, gave us her Christmas wish list: “good health; success for my family, friends and colleagues; one or two extra hours in each day.

Marilyn Eddins, the beloved chief clerk of the Colorado House, was one of several people who said she hoped for “peace in the House” in the coming year, reflecting some of the concerns about the 2018 sessions and what will happen in the session’s opening week.

She also hopes everyone has a “sparkly” Christmas, because “I like sparkles.”

Garin Vorthmann, a partner and lobbyist with Colorado Legislative Services, said she can’t to spend Christmas with her husband, Chad Vorthmann, the executive vice president of the Colorado Farm Bureau, and “the Vorthlings,” daughters Emlyn, 8m and Dru, 4.

“The #vorthlings are big believers in Santa Claus, and I can’t wait to see their innocence and joy on Christmas morning,” Garin said. “The holidays should be about generous helpings of faith, family and fun. It’s important to me that we create our own family traditions and teach our children the real reason for Christmas.

This year they will wrap up the holidays with a celebration of 10 years of marriage.

“What I want for Colorado: Continued economic growth for all parts of the state. Colorado is the best state in the nation; we have business friendly communities, safe neighborhoods, ample workforce and recreation that is second to none,” Garin said. “However, I fear growth along the front range is out pacing many of our rural communities and we could be on the precipice of two Colorados. I hope our citizens from all corners of the state will really listen to each other and I wish for our thought leaders to put partisan differences aside and work on policies that address these challenges and continue to move Colorado forward.”

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner’s message to Santa: “What I want for Christmas is good health, happiness and an R2-D2 droid.”

Phil Weiser, a Democratic attorney general candidate, wants Coloradans to be optimistic. He says when people ask him why he isn’t cynical in the current political environment, he says he responds with what his grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, used to tell him: “It is easier to believe.”

Once you give up hope, Weiser adds, all is lost.

“This is a season of renewal and a chance to recommit to the core American and Colorado values of freedom and opportunity for all. In 2017, voters in Alabama, New Jersey and Virginia stood up for those values. In 2018, we here in Colorado will have the chance to fight for those values and ensure that our state and nation remains true to its ideals,” Weiser said.

We’re guessing Santa already knows what Ready Colorado president Luke Ragland wants. “All I want for Christmas is real school choice for all parents and students in Colorado,” said the school choice advocate.

Stephen Rosenthal is one of the sergeants-at-arms for the Colorado Senate. Both the Senate and House sergeants tend to be retired and older. So when asked what he has on his list of New Year’s resolutions, Rosenthal laughed and said he doesn’t do New Year’s resolutions anymore. He does however hope for peace, even in the state Capitol, for 2018.

Colorado Department of Human Services executive director Reggie Bicha will be home for holidays.

“This Christmas, I’ll be driving, despite my not so subtle protestations, across the frozen tundra that is the midwest to visit my mother in the North Pole, I mean, Wisconsin,” he joked. “Even though I’ve complained endlessly to anyone who will listen, I still get to go home for the holidays.

“Right now in Colorado, there are more than 200 children and teens in awaiting adoption who have nowhere to go for the holidays. All I want for Christmas is to make sure that every one of those kids has a home, and a family, by the holidays next year.”

Democratic congressional candidate Jason Crow broke out the songbook for his wishlist. To the tune of “All I Want for Christmas”:

“We don’t want a lot for Christmas,there is just one thing we need.We don’t care about the presents,underneath the Christmas tree.We don’t want Mike Coffman voting,To repeal and replace.Making special interests happy,with reckless tax cuts on their way.We just want to send him home,before the deficit explodes.Make our wish come true,All we want is a district that’s blue.Blue, ba-by.”

Levi Tillemann, who is running against Crow in the Democratic primary in Congressional District 6, said memories of Christmas include dinner with his large family and some North Denver traditions:

“Like most candidates running for Congress in America, I’m from a liberal, Jewish/Mormon family and grew up in a working-class Latino neighborhood,” said the son of the well-known and well-regarded entrepreneur and philanthropist Timber Dick. “For us, Christmas dinner was tamales from Paul and Paula Sandoval’s La Casita and a steaming hot bowl of pozole cooked by Dad. Packed around the table were my nine biological siblings and adopted sister Dulcia – an undocumented immigrant from Honduras who lost her mother to cancer.”

Secretary of State Wayne Williams said his Christmas will be bright if Santa brings “a 2018 primary that works well for Colorado’s unaffiliated voters and our election judges.”

Jena Griswold, a Democrat running for secretary of state, says she’s inspired by the enthusiasm for her campaign, and she’s optimistic about the future of Colorado and the United States. “I am fortunate to have a very loving and supportive partner, who makes me laugh multiple times every day,” Griswold said. “And I am fortunate for a great family. I am looking forward to a fun old-fashioned family Christmas, spending time in my hometown of Estes Park with family and friends, and also, of course, (hopefully) beating my brother in our annual game of Monopoly.”

Legislators gave us their wish lists as well.

House Assistant Minority Leader Cole Wist, R-Centennial: “A meaningful vote on the Colorado state budget, time to see the new ‘Star Wars’ movie … and world peace.”

Rep. Dave Young, D-Greeley, a candidate for state treasurer, said he’s looking forward to having time with friends and family during the holiday season.

Rep. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, who is running for the state Senate next year: “This Christmas I want tickets to the upcoming Taylor Swift and Kesha concerts. From my children, I would like them to learn to take both their shoes off at the same time and leave them in a logical place so there isn’t a mad dash looking for shoes every morning. From the legislature, I would like paid family leave.”

Sen. Kevin Priola, R-Brighton, said he wants Santa to bring “snow in the mountains and peace on Earth!”

Rep. Justin Everett, a Republican from Littleton and a candidate for state treasurer, compiled a list for Santa:

“One, for citizens to learn what the true meaning of Christmas is. Two, Freedom and liberty for all our citizens. Three, my friends in the legislature and the governor to step up and fund roads and bridges within existing funds. Four, long-term solution to the PERA crisis, so Colorado families both on and off PERA can continue having Merry Christmases.”

Rep. Adrienne Benavidez, a north Denver Democrat, said she also hopes for peace in the House next year. “Can’t we just get along?” she asked.

Former state Sen. Mike Johnston, a Democrat from Denver who is running for governor, said he’s looking forward to this year’s edition of a long-standing Christmas Eve family tradition, the toy race, which works like this: “Everyone in our extended family draws a number, and that number allows you to pick a box with an old, partially-broken, wind-up toy that we all unpack. A race across the kitchen floor ensues.

“There are qualifying heats and then the semi-finals and finals, and every year crowns a new champion who gets bragging rights (and a terrible singing snowman trophy which they proudly display for the next year).” Johnston said this year’s show-down pits “the wily veteran, me, the all-time leading title holder with victories in 1977, ’81*, ’84, ’89*, ’93*, ’97, ’99*, 2003, ’04, ’06, ’11, against the up-and-coming star, my 6-year-old daughter, Ava Grace. She is the reigning back-to-back champion from 2015 and 2016, looking to pull off a first-ever threepeat.” The asterisks, he said, denote victories disputed by his brother and uncle.”

George Brauchler, district attorney in the 18th Judicial District and a Republican candidate for attorney general, has a list that includes no real crimes but a big one on TV.

“One day of no new victims of crime. Negan’s death … finally,” he said referencing the TV show. “The Walking Dead.”

“Roads that don’t suck. No. 18 (Peyton Manning) in the huddle retroactive to 10 games ago, Snow. A healthy, happy family through this next ridiculous year of campaigning”

Michael Dougherty, assistant district attorney for Jefferson and Gilpin counties and a Democratic candidate for attorney general, wants Santa to bring the nation some bipartisanship.

“The Senate just voted 51-48 on a tax bill that have a major impact on this country. The Republicans voted as a group and the Democrats all voted as one. I want leaders who will work together when it comes to affecting millions of Americans – and do the right thing for this country. And I want to run the Pikes Peak Marathon again.”

State Senate District 15 candidate Nic Morse, who ran for Congress against U.S. Rep. Jared Polis last year, said his wishes are simple, and one involves the the head of the liberal ProgressNow Colorado.

“I’d like an Oculus Rift and for Ian Silverii to publicly share his Spotify playlists.”