Write a letter to Santa and get a reply!

It’s that time of the year when I’m sure someone in your house wants to talk to Santa, St. Nick, Papa Noel (have you seen our FREE printable What’s Santa’s Name Game?!!)

Maybe your 4-year-old who wants to ask Santa about his favorite cookies.

Or the somewhat doubting 9-year-old who wants to confirm the big guy’s existence.

And maybe — just maybe — it’s Mom or Dad who need to get a letter to Santa to let him know that bringing a pet monkey is probably not such a good idea this year 😉

How to Mail a Letter to Santa & Get a Reply

No matter who wants to send Santa a letter, we’ve got all the details you’ll need (along with some FREE ways you can get a reply back too)!  PLUS, we also have a free printable Letter to Santa paper for the kids to print & use too.  We’re also sharing links to some of our affiliate partners for our favorite Santa books and items too!

First, there are some great books to read before your child pens their letter! Here are a few of our favorite ‘letter to Santa’ books along with affiliate links for each:

The Jolly Christmas Postman is an adorable holiday story that has letters on each page the kids can open and read!  Follow along as we find him delivering hoiday greetings to all of his fairy tale friends.  Wonderful illustrations and be sure to read the postmarks on each letter!

Dear Santa: The Letters of James B. Dobbins was one of our favorite letter-themed reads.  James begins the book by writing (a number of letters) to Santa to remind him of what he’d like for Christmas.  As the story progresses, we find that James’ attitude toward the holiday begins to shift towards more of a giving spirit rather than just “I hope that I get..”  A great message for kids during a season that can be focused on consumption.

If you’re looking for more holiday books, browse these 30 Kids Books for Your Favorite Christmas Traditions too!

There are two ways to get in touch with Santa via mail — you can either write a letter and send it through the United States Postal Service (USPS) or email a letter to Santa.

Mail a Letter to Santa via USPS (Post Office)

Hand-written letters are the best!

Please be sure that the return address on your envelope is legible so your reply doesn’t get lost in the holiday mail.  Having your kids write a letter and learn how to send or mail a letter themselves is a great life skill to squeeze in during the busy holiday season 😉

There are two places to send your Santa mail:

1. The elves in Santa Claus, IN (yes, that’s a real city!) are ready to answer any letter that they receive by December 16th!   See the details at Write to Santa.

Letters can be sent using regular postage to:

Santa Claus
PO Box 1
Santa Claus, IN 47579

2. If you’d like to get a letter back from Santa, the Post Office is lending a helping hand this year!  Letters sent to the post office in Alaska will receive a reply from Santa’s helpers (with a hand from Mom or Dad)!

Here’s all the information for the Letters From Santa program.

By the way, 2023 is the 111th year the post office is doing Operation Santa! This year, letters received before Dec. 15th will be made available online where others can adopt the letters and answer them.

I would also check your local post office or Parks & Rec Department — both of ours offer programs where letters that are sent to a specific PO Box or address will receive a response. We also have some fun Santa Postal Boxes around our county this year so kids can drop off their letter in a festive way.

Looking for a cool postmark for a special letter? 

Put the letter you would like postmarked in a larger envelope and click the link to the city for more details:

Postmarks from Noel, Missouri

Santa Claus postmark

How to Send a Letter to Santa Online

Kids can send an online letter to Santa at Letters to Santa and get an instant reply that’s slightly personal 🙂

You can also email Santa and receive a reply at the Northpole.com Mailroom.  Parents will need to help younger kids read & send the email and then check their North Pole mailbox for a reply.

Please note that both of these websites have ads so kids should be supervised.

And be sure to check out these 14 Christmas Websites for Kids with lots of holiday games & activities!

So set aside some time this month to write a letter to Santa Claus – your kids will love this new tradition 😉

Free Letter to Santa printables

Be sure to get your FREE printable Letter to Santa templates right now!  We have two options for you:

• a festive lined paper for kids who would like to write out their Christmas wishes and
• an open, unlined page for kids who might want to draw what they’d like to ask Santa for or who may be too young to use lined paper

Both pages will be sent to you via email when you request them below!

If you’re looking to add a little more magic to your holidays, be sure to check out the 12 Days of Christmas Activities!!

 Ho, Ho, Ho!

~ Jacquie

Get Ready for the Holidays:

25 Ways to Slow Down & Enjoy the Holidays

20 Great Stocking Stuffers for Kids

12 Days of Christmas Countdown Activities {printable pack!}