Letters to Your Kid from Santa Claus

It’s mid-December but there is still plenty of time for kids to write and send their letters to Santa. Thankfully, letters to the North Pole arrive instantly (because Santa is magic).

You, or a grandparent, aunt, or bonus grown up can help your kid(s) write to Santa and then facilitate Santa’s reply. And Santa likes to support the economy by sending his replies via the USPS – complete with a postmark from the North Pole!

Here’s how to do it:

1. Provide your kid(s) with paper, pencils, crayons, etc. for writing to Santa Claus.

2. Help them place their letter into an envelope, seal it, add their return address, draw a customized postage stamp, and write “SPECIAL DELIVERY” on the front. Address the envelope to:

Santa Claus
The North Pole

Then, drop the letter in the mailbox – wink, wink – and their work is done. The following steps are for you to handle after their bedtime.

1. Write Santa’s reply on the back or use a new piece of stationery.

2. Place the reply into an envelope addressed to your kid(s). Be sure to include Santa’s return address and add a First-Class or Forever letter stamp.

3. Next, place the envelope with Santa’s letter in it into a larger envelope. (A USPS Priority Mail envelope makes it easy!) Add your return address and the correct postage. Then address the larger envelope to: 

North Pole Postmark
Postmaster
4141 Postmark Drive
Anchorage, AK 99530-9998

This is when the USPS works its magic. When the Anchorage post office receives your letter, they’ll know just what to do. They’ll remove Santa’s letter, stamp it with a postmark from the North Pole, and drop it right back into the mail to your kid(s).

Planning for Delayed Delivery of Santa’s Replies

If it’s too late for your kid(s) to receive Santa’s reply before Christmas, you can still send the letter as long as you plan an explanation for the delay. This year especially, it’s been difficult for Santa to write and mail all of his replies before Christmas Eve, so he will have to drop some of his letters into mailboxes along the way as he delivers gifts. Even though he plans for Christmas all year long, we can all see that December is filled with meet and greets plus packing the sleigh. And Santa knows that kids can use a reminder to be on their best behavior whether it’s January, July, or December!

If you’d like to help Santa deliver a reply from one of his stops on Christmas Eve, the locations below are on his route and make for fun postmarks on his letters. The process for getting these postmarks is the same as above. Place Santa’s letter into a larger envelope then address it to “Postmaster” at one of the following locations. It’s that easy. There’s no street address required.

• Christmas Valley, OR 97641

• Christmas, FL 32709

• Christmas, MI 49862

• Comet, NC 28643

• Dasher, GA 31601

• Donner Lake, CA 96161

• Garland, TX 75040

• Joy, IL 61260

• Mistletoe, KY 41351

• Noel, MO 64854

• North Pole, NY

• Rudolph, WI 54475

• Santa Claus, GA 30436

• Santa Claus, IN 47579

• Santa, ID 83866

• Vixen, LA 71418 

If you choose to send Santa’s letter on Christmas Eve, it’s fun to mention a special thanks for any treats that were left for him or his reindeer. He might also comment on unique decorations that only a Santa Claus who visits the house would know about. Have fun with it! Every kid who believes will be ecstatic over their personal letter from Santa.