Skip to main content
Friday, November 6, 2026Nov 6

This story is free to read.

Letters From Santa gives kids a personalized response

INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPRODUCING STAMP IMAGES: The stamp design must be reproduced in its entirety, including denomination and perforations. If the stamp design is reproduced within 75-150% of stamp size, a line must be placed through the denomination to 'cancel' the reproduction and prevent its use as actual postage. The appropriate USPS trademark and copyright notices must be included.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPRODUCING STAMP IMAGES: The stamp design must be reproduced in its entirety, including denomination and perforations. If the stamp design is reproduced within 75-150% of stamp size, a line must be placed through the denomination to 'cancel' the reproduction and prevent its use as actual postage. The appropriate USPS trademark and copyright notices must be included. INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPRODUCING STAMP IMAGES: The stamp design must be reproduced in its entirety, including denomination and perforations. If the stamp design is reproduced within 75-150% of stamp size, a line must be placed through the denomination to 'cancel' the reproduction and prevent its use as actual postage. The appropriate USPS trademark and copyright notices must be included.

Did you know?

The U.S. Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Mailing a letter to Santa is easy enough at Christmas. Getting one back takes a bit more magic.

But elves are moonlighting at the U.S. Postal Service this season, and a reply to your child’s letter comes complete with a North Pole postmark.

How can you make it happen?

Parents, here’s the process broken into five easy steps.

1. Have your child write a letter to Santa and place it in an envelope addressed to: Santa Claus, North Pole.

2. Later, when alone, open the envelope and write a personalized response.

3. Insert the response letter into an envelope, address it to the child and add the return address: Santa, North Pole.

4. Affix a stamp to the envelope – a holiday image, naturally.

5. Place the complete envelope into a larger envelope – preferably a Priority Mail Flat Rate envelope – with appropriate postage and address it to: North Pole Postmark Postmaster, 4141 Postmark Drive, Anchorage, AK 99530-9998.

Letters From Santa requests must be received by the Anchorage postmaster no later than Thursday, Dec. 15. Santa’s helpers at the Postal Service will take care of the rest.

TIPS

* To save paper, write Santa’s response on the back of your child’s letter. If you keep them together, your child will be able to recall what he or she wrote.

* When responding as Santa, make the response as personal as possible by highlighting your child’s accomplishments over the past year. For example: helping around the house, receiving good grades in a particular subject at school or participating in community service activities.

* Make it a Thanksgiving project when the whole family is gathered and can join in.

* Share the experience on social media using #LettersFromSanta.