Here’s a fun Christmas tradition you can surprise the kiddos with – A letter from Santa to your child with an actual postmark from the North Pole!
The Letters from Santa program will definitely add to the excitement of Christmas. Older kiddos can also get some experience with letter writing, practicing their best penmanship, and learning how to address and stamp a letter.
(The instructions can be a little confusing, but basically you will need 2 written letters and 2 envelopes with postage.)
Here’s how:
- Have your child write a letter to Santa.
- Then you will write Santa’s response letter back to your child.
- Place Santa’s response letter inside an envelope that is addressed back to your child (your home address), write something like “From Santa at the North Pole” for the return address, add correct postage to that envelope, and seal it.
- In another separate larger envelope, place your child’s letter to Santa and the sealed envelope (containing Santa’s response letter that you wrote) inside, seal it, add correct postage, and address it to:
North Pole Postmark Postmaster
4141 Postmark Dr
Anchorage, AK 99530-9998
Letters from Santa must be received by the Anchorage, AK, Postmaster no later than Dec. 15th!
Santa’s helpers at the “North Pole” will open the main envelope (with your child’s Santa letter and the sealed envelope with Santa’s response letter) and throw away your child’s letter to Santa. They will cancel the stamp on the sealed envelope (with Santa’s response letter inside) with “North Pole”and mail it back to your child!
Here are some helpful tips:
- You can write Santa’s response letter on a separate piece of paper or you can write it directly on the back of your child’s letter to Santa so that your child will remember what they wrote to Santa and you will have the letter as a keepsake! I remember finding a few of my “Santa” letters as an adult and the memories they brought back were so fun! I was glad to have those letters to add to my memory box!
- You can type out Santa’s response letter with a fun font or use a funny style of handwriting. We always do squiggly letters with loop-dee-loos in crayon or marker with our St. Nicholas letters.
- Don’t add anything to the main envelope that you would want back: precious Santa photos, artwork, etc.
- Add personal references to Santa’s response letter: mention your child by their nickname, note accomplishments in school, good behaviors, volunteerism, siblings, a family pet, etc.
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