Mail Your Letter to Santa Claus in Indiana & Get a Special Surprise
My son, Rollins, is ten years old. He told me the other day that he wasn't interested in going to see Santa to have his picture made, but you better believe he still wants to send him a letter with his Christmas list!
Rollins even leveled up his list-making game. This kid made a list on his iPad complete with specific links for items that can be ordered. While it is hard for this mama that my baby is growing up, I'm happy he still wants to partake in fun Christmas traditions. He plans to print the list out and write a letter to Santa to go with it. Gotta make sure his name is on that nice list!
Correspondence with The Claus
If you have a kiddo who wants to send correspondence with The Claus, there are a couple of ways to do so. Both of them involve the Santa Claus, Indiana post office. Officially opened in 1856, it wasn't until the turn of the century that children could expect a special surprise when sending their Christmas letters.
Santa Claus, Indiana Post Office
According to Visit Indiana, in 1914, Postmaster James Martin began helping Santa respond to the thousands of letters sent there in December. Now, those letters come from all over the world! There are so many that the post office enlists the help of volunteer elves to answer questions like "What is Santa's favorite cookie?" or "What do reindeer like to eat?"
How to Send Your Letter to Santa
You can either write your letter at home and mail it to:
Santa
P.O. Box #1
Santa Claus, IN 47579
Or you can make a fun day trip out of it and write your letter at the Santa Claus Museum & Village. The original post office is there with antique desks and a special mailbox to insert your letter. Be sure to ring the bells to let the elves know it's ready!
Then you can get some sweets at Santa's Candy Castle, visit real-life reindeer at Santa's Reindeer Ranch, and hit up the Santa Claus Christmas store before checking out Santa Claus Land of Lights. A fun and festive day! When you return home, keep an eye out for an elvish response to your letter in your mailbox.
LOOK: 25 over-the-top Christmas displays from across America
Gallery Credit: Annalise Mantz & Madison Troyer