Holiday Snail Mail Ideas - Tampa Letter Writer Club

The kind folks at the Tampa Letter Writers Club are sharing their Holiday Snail Mail Ideas for a magical holiday season!

Letters From Santa

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. And the Postal Service™ can help you prove it when Santa replies to your child’s letter to Santa — complete with the North Pole Postmark! The Letters from Santa program adds to the excitement of Christmas and is ideal for interesting youngsters in letter writing, stamps and penmanship.

Here's how:

1. Have the child write a letter to Santa and place it in an envelope addressed to: Santa Claus, North Pole.
2. Write a personalized response to the child's letter and sign it "From Santa." 
3. Insert both letters into an envelope, and address it to the child.
4. Add the return address: SANTA, NORTH POLE, to the envelope.
5. Ensure a First-Class Mail stamp is affixed to the envelope.
6. Place the complete envelope into a larger envelope, with appropriate 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 December 15. Santa’s helpers in Anchorage, AK, will take care of the rest!

Operation Santa

As much as history reveals, the Postal Service began receiving letters to Santa Claus more than 100 years ago. However, its involvement was made official when in 1912 Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local Postmasters to allow postal employees and citizens to respond to the growing number of letters received every holiday season.

Each year in select Post Offices the general public is invited to “adopt” Santa letters. In all locations where the public may adopt letters written to Santa, strict privacy guidelines are in place. Any member of the public choosing to adopt a letter may simply respond in writing or if they choose grant the wish, a decision that is left to the individual.

If you would like to adopt a Santa letter visit you can find instructions at https://about.usps.com/holidaynews/operation-santa.htm

 Keep on sending snail!