Here's how you can get Santa to respond to your kids' letters
Your kids may be among the countless children who write letters to Santa every year, but how many of those children can say Santa wrote back?
There are many ways to bring the magic of Christmas to life for your kids, from your favorite traditions that your parents did when you were a kid to the modern trend of tracking Santa's trek around the world. But if you want a personalized memento to mark the occasion, look no further.
Here are instructions for getting an official letter from Santa addressed to your child, as detailed on the U.S. Post Office website.
- Letter to Santa
"Have your child write a letter to Santa and seal it in an envelope addressed to: Santa Claus, North Pole."
Pro tip: Prompt them to ask Santa questions. This will make it easier for you to come up with something to write! - "Mail It"
"Tell your child that you'll place a stamp on the envelope and mail it to St. Nick for him or her."
Pro tip: If you really want to let them see the letter sent, you could ask (nicely!) your mail carrier for help taking the letter and returning it later. - Write Back
"Later, when alone, open the envelope, read the letter and write Santa's response on the back of the child's letter. Have Santa write: 'It's important to be green and save paper. That's why I'm writing on the back'"
Pro tip: Try having your kid write on printer paper. That way, you could type your response and print it on the back. Or ask a friend to write it for you so they don't recognize your handwriting. - Make It Special
"When responding as Santa, reference your child's accomplishments not included in his or her letter, i.e., Santa is so proud that you volunteered to help ____, or Santa is really impressed with the great job you're doing in school - especially with math, etc. Sign it Santa Claus with a P.S. to get to bed early Christmas Eve." - Send in for an official stamp.
"Place the letter into a new envelope addressed to the child at his or her home. Be sure to include: Santa Claus, North Pole, as the return address on the envelope. Don't forget to apply a First-Class stamp - such as a recently issued Santa or Rudolph Forever stamp."
Place the stamped envelope in a larger envelope (or Priority Mail envelope) with adequate postage addressed to:
NORTH POLE HOLIDAY POSTMARK
POSTMASTER
4141 POSTMARK DR
ANCHORAGE AK 99530-9998
The Anchorage Postmaster will return all letters received by Dec. 15 to the home of the family that sent it, complete with the official North Pole postmark.
There are other services out there that will make Letters From Santa for you, but make sure you check a company's credibility before handing out any personal information. The Better Business Bureau has warned that some of these companies are scams. They may ask for money and never deliver or even steal your identity.
Happy letter writing to you and yours!
What is your kid asking Santa for this year? Let us know in the comments below!
