"The holidays are the perfect time of year to make special memories for your little ones. Family traditions like decorating the tree, baking Christmas cookies, and watching your favorite holiday movies are things they’re going to remember and likely take with them into adulthood when building their own families. Embracing the magic of the holiday season can create memories that are special for both them and you—that’s why writing letters to Santa is one of my favorite classic Christmas traditions!
The Tradition of Writing a Letter to Santa
Some of my favorite memories growing up involve planning for the big night when Santa was going to fly in with his sleigh and reindeer to bring the presents on my wishlist. And let me tell you, my preparations began well before Christmas Eve. I had a lot to think about, like, what kind of cookies does Santa like? I can’t forget to tell mom to buy carrots for the reindeer. Is Santa lactose intolerant?
On top of that, it was my duty to ensure Santa had a reason to stop by my house by being a good helper, listening in school, and being a good little sister (even when my sister made it really, really hard)—I had to secure my spot on the nice list.
Once I had several examples to share with Santa about how good I had been that year, it was time to write my annual letter to the jolly man himself. Equipped with stories of finishing my chores and volunteering for school activities, I laid out exactly why Santa should bring me the coveted Barbie Dream House this year.
Now that I’m older (and choose to be a good person for other reasons), I still look back on how much fun and pride I had in crafting the perfect letter to Santa, and now enjoy sharing this activity with the little ones in my life. There’s so much joy in the holiday season and it’s fun to embrace all of it.
Whether your little ones have been writing to Santa for years, or this is a new tradition you want to begin, now’s a great time to start. With our free, printable kids’ letter to Santa linked below, your little ones can craft the perfect, heartfelt note to the man in the red suit. Fun memories, guaranteed.
Download Our Free Kids’ Letter to Santa
Click on the graphic below to download and print our free kids’ letter to Santa. Simply have your little one fill out the templated note with the date, their name, age, hometown, and three (or four!) of their top Christmas wishlist items this year. Don’t forget to have your child sign it before you send it off to Santa in the North Pole!
How to Mail a Letter to Santa
After your child has completed their letter to Santa, you might be wondering—how exactly do we get this note delivered to Saint Nick? This next part will take some Christmas magic. To ensure your child gets a personalized letter back from Santa, you can download and print out our free, kids’ letter from Santa here. Have your child address and “mail” their wishlist letter to Santa using your home’s mailbox and, later, stage a special delivery with the letter from Santa for an extra-special Christmas tradition that’s sure to delight your kiddos.
The United States Postal Service (aka the USPS) also offers an “Operation Santa” program that allows kiddos to actually address and mail their letter to the North Pole. Once their letter to Santa is completed, place it into a sealed, letter-sized envelope and mail it to the following address:
Santa
123 Elf Road
North Pole, 88888
According to the USPS Operation Santa website, letters to Santa should be postmarked after September 16 and before December 9. Be sure to include your child’s full name and address in the return address space on your letter’s envelope and attach a First-Class stamp in the upper right corner, too. With this program, letters to Santa are sorted and read, and some letters are published on the USPS Operation Santa website. From there, letters can be “adopted” and people can fulfill the holiday wishes of children and families across the country. Not all notes will receive a response from Santa, but some wishlists will be fulfilled with donated gifts from people looking to spread Christmas magic.
Brett Nicole Hayden, Assistant Editor
As the Assistant Editor, Brett works with the editors of The Everymom on the content creation process by updating stories, sourcing images and graphics, and pitching and contributing her own articles. Her favorite topics to write about are culture, relationships, and living. She’s also The Everymom’s resident baby names and family movies expert!
Julia Poulter, Senior Managing Editor
With more than 10 years of editorial experience, Julia is passionate about bringing motherhood stories to life and providing moms with interesting and informative parenting content. Prior to joining The Everygirl Media Group in 2019, she served as Executive Editor at Closer Weekly. As The Everymom’s Senior Managing Editor, Julia helps manage the brand’s editorial calendar and content strategy.