Each year the kids sit down and write a letter to Santa telling him the one thing they would like him to bring for Christmas. Then we drive straight to the city post office. Inside our post office is a special mailbox set up just for those special letters to Santa Claus. We drop them in and the kids are each given a candy cane. Then the mailman sends them straight to Santa at the North Pole. Then a week or two later our mailman drops each of the kids a personalized letter from Santa himself.
It has been so fun for the kids. They can’t wait to check the mailbox for their special letters. But you have to get your letters in early so Santa can have a chance to reply before he gets too busy.
You could just send your letters to a friend or a Grandma/Grandpa who has special connections with the North Pole (wink, wink). Then they could send Santa’s reply letters for each kid back to your house from the North Pole. Get what I’m saying?
This is an actual letter that came back to one of my kids a couple of years ago. Even my oldest who is now “wise in the ways of Santa” gets a kick out of sending and receiving his letter to Santa at the North Pole.
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Melanie says
I work for the post office and Santa has his own zip code. All his letters get sent there and then he and his helpers respond to them. It's a fun thing that the post office does this time of year. All the letter needs to say on it is Santa North Pole and it gets there. I always smile when I see a Santa letter come accross my computer!
Oh it isn't city post office specific. The entire postal service does it. You could even send it from your home mail box.
http://www.parentdish.com/2009/11/24/expect-santa-to-write-from-newark-not-north-pole/?icid=main|main|dl7|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.parentdish.com%2F2009%2F11%2F24%2Fexpect-santa-to-write-from-newark-not-north-pole%2F
I have sent Santa letters to my sons and nieces and nephews for years…the oldest is 16 and the youngest is 5…It brings me much joy and I intend to keep the tradition alive even when they have kids…
Last year, our cute daycare provider sent letters via dearsanta.com. He sends back personalized letter from there, too. I looks like the website is down right now, but hopefully it will be back up in time soon!
I believe the post office has stopped doing this this year. Something about a volunteer who used the system to prey on children?
Never mind. Did a little more reading. It seems they had planned to stop it, but got too much flak and resumed the program. I found this story:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,576087,00.html
My daughter wrote a letter to Santa two years ago, so I told her to put it in the mailbox (knowing that I would grab it before the mailman came – no stamp or anything). Imagine my surprise when I went to get it and it was gone! Imagine both my daughters and my (even bigger) surprise when she got a letter back a few weeks later! Such a great service that the post office does.
Such a lovely idea and what wonderful pictures!
I love that Santa writes back!! So do my kids!! They wrote their letters over the weekend!
Santa has an actual address…
Santa Claus
North Pole
HOH- OHO
Canada
Send your letter there and you will get a reply!
I just love checking your blog! You have some of the cutest ideas! Thanks so much for sharing!! I do have a question. I've tried to copy some of your text and it won't let me. I was wondering if you could help me out or tell me why it does this. For example I tried to copy your list of Christmas books, so I can add to my collection and it won't allow me to copy it. Any advice or help would be great!
How sweet! My niece who lives in Alaska said that you can send letters to the north pole and they will get answers back! Good luck~ Come say hi :D
Okay, I LOVE your daughter's hat! Did you make it? If so, where's you get the pattern?