NORTH POLE, Alaska — Does your family eagerly await the arrival of Santa Claus every holiday season? Do your children still make out wish lists of gifts that they would like to see under the tree?
If your kids still believe in Santa Claus, the U.S. Postal Service has step-by-step instructions on how your child can get a personalized letter from the big guy -- complete with a postmark from the North Pole.
It's really easy:
- Have your child write a letter to Santa and place it in an envelope addressed to: Santa Claus, North Pole.
- Later, when alone, open the envelope and write a personalized response.
- Insert the response letter into an envelope and address it to the child.
- Add the return address: SANTA, NORTH POLE, to the envelope.
- Ensure the envelope is affixed with a First-Class Mail stamp. The North Pole loves the Christmas ones.
- 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
Santa’s helpers in Anchorage, AK, will take care of the rest!
The post office recommends sending your letters by December 7 so that they can be received by the Anchorage, AK, Postmaster no later than December 14.
Tips:
- To save paper, write on the back of your child’s letter. If you keep them together, your child will also be able to recall what he or she wrote.
- When responding as Santa, make letter from Santa 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.
- This is a great activity for Thanksgiving that the whole family can enjoy, including parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other caregivers.
