Somewhere in a drawer, there may be a letter you wrote to Santa decades ago. The handwriting wobbles. The spelling is creative. The list is wildly ambitious. And yet, it is one of the most treasured pieces of paper a family can keep.
In a world of texts and wish lists saved to a phone, the handwritten letter to Santa is making a beautiful comeback. Pinterest reports that searches for handwritten letters, pen pal ideas and snail mail gifts are all climbing, with "snail mail gifts" up 110%. Families are rediscovering the joy of real paper, real stamps and the thrill of a reply. These ideas for writing a letter to Santa will help you turn the tradition into the highlight of your December.
A letter to Santa is a child's first real correspondence. It teaches patience, gratitude and the art of putting thoughts on paper. It is also a window into who your child is this year: what they love, what they worry about and what they hope for.
There is a practical gift for parents, too. A letter is the most charming way to learn exactly what is on the list, without a single leading question.
A letter this important deserves better than a sheet torn from a spiral notebook. Our Dear Santa Notepad is designed for children who love writing to Santa all season long, and it is printed with your child's name.
The only thing better than writing to Santa is hearing back. A short reply, tucked into a stocking or left by the tree, can become the most cherished part of the season.
Make it look official. A From the North Pole Stamps Label on the envelope makes Santa's letter look as though it traveled all the way from the North Pole. Each set includes 24 labels personalized with your child's name, so you will have plenty left for gifts.
Keep the reply short and specific. Mention something from your child's letter, praise a real accomplishment from the year, and add a playful detail about the reindeer. Children notice when Santa was clearly paying attention.
When the letters and the gifts match, the story is complete. Wrap Santa's presents in North Pole Stamp Gift Wrap, designed for Santa and his elves and packed in a tube for shipping. Each set includes five 20" x 29" sheets, enough for a whole stack of gifts. When the postal theme on the letter shows up again under the tree, the whole tale holds together.
Add the remaining Santa's Post or North Pole labels to each package, and every gift looks as if it came straight from Santa's mailroom.
Before the letters disappear, make copies or keep the originals in a keepsake box, one envelope per child per year. Add Santa's reply beside each one. In ten years, that box will hold a handwritten record of your children growing up, one wish list at a time.
Some families frame a favorite letter. Others bind them into a small book to give each child when they leave home. Either way, these letters often become the most treasured papers in the house.
Every notepad and label is personalized, so order early to have them ready for the first letter-writing afternoon. Many families start the tradition right after Thanksgiving. Check our holiday ordering deadlines to be sure your North Pole mail kit arrives in time.
This year, give your children the joy of writing to Santa on paper made just for them, and the thrill of a reply from the North Pole. It is a small tradition with a lasting reward: letters you will treasure long after they stop asking where Santa lives.
Shop the Dear Santa Notepad and the Santa Shop to start your family's North Pole mail tradition.