How to write a letter to Santa

Pick a calm moment rather than squeezing it in before bedtime. A mug of cocoa, a few good pens or crayons and some space at the kitchen table go a long way. Let your child lead: the letter is theirs, wobbly spelling and all. Your job is to help them remember what to say, not to make it neat. Many parents keep the original as a keepsake and are glad, years later, that they didn’t correct a thing.

Little ones can’t write yet, but they have plenty to say. Ask simple questions and write down their answers word for word: “What do you want to tell Santa?” “What was your favourite thing this year?” “What would you like to ask the reindeer?” Then let them add a drawing, a scribbled name, a handprint or a few stickers. Two or three sentences is plenty.

• Write their words exactly as they say them. The funny phrasing is the best part.
• Let them “sign” it however they can: a scribble, a letter of their name, a thumbprint.
• Keep the wish list to one or two things they can point to or draw.

This is when children love doing it themselves. Write the hard words on a scrap of paper for them to copy, or give them a template with the greeting and sign-off already there so they can focus on the middle. Short sentences are fine. If their hand gets tired, take turns: they write one line, you write the next as they tell it to you.

Older children can write a proper letter, and they often enjoy adding jokes, questions and news. Encourage them to tell Santa about something they worked hard at, not just what they want. If they are getting curious about how it all works, a thoughtful question for Santa (“How do the reindeer stay warm?”) keeps the conversation going and the magic intact.

• A greeting: “Dear Santa,” is classic. Some children like to say hello to Mrs. Claus too.
• A bit about their year: a first day of school, a new sibling, learning to swim, a move.
• A kind thing they did: helping a friend, sharing, looking after a pet.
• A short wish list: two or three wishes is a good guide.
• A question for Santa: about the North Pole, the workshop or the sleigh.
• Something for the elves or reindeer: a thank-you, a drawing, a promise of carrots.
• A sign-off with their name and age, so Santa knows exactly who it’s from.

If your child gets stuck, read a few of these aloud and let them finish the sentence in their own words.

• Opening

  “Dear Santa, my name is … and I am … years old.”

• Their year

  “This year I learned how to …”

• Proud of

  “The thing I am most proud of this year is …”

• Kindness

  “I was kind when I helped …”

• Working on

  “I am still trying to get better at …”

• Wishes

  “If it’s not too much trouble, I would love …”

• Question

  “I have always wondered, Santa, how do you …?”

• For the reindeer

  “Please tell the reindeer I will leave them …”

• Sign-off

  “Thank you for reading my letter. Love from …”

Wish lists can grow fast once catalogues and adverts arrive. A gentle limit helps everyone: ask your child to choose their top three, or one thing they want, one thing they need and one surprise. You can also talk about wishes for other people, like a grandparent getting better or a friend having a happy Christmas. Children often find that part surprisingly meaningful.

If there’s a wish you know can’t come true, it helps to set expectations early, kindly. Santa’s elves make lots of things, but some wishes (a pony in an apartment, a trip to the moon) are better saved for imagining together.

To make it easy, we made a free Dear Santa letter template for your child to fill in by hand. It comes in three designs: classic (a lined letter with a greeting and sign-off), wish list (space for a few wishes and a note about their year) and draw and write (a big box for a picture with a few lines underneath, ideal for younger children). Download any design as a PDF or PNG, right here on this page. There’s no account and no email needed. Print as many as you like, one for each child.

The US Postal Service runs a program called Operation Santa, where letters to Santa can be mailed and volunteers may adopt letters to help answer children’s wishes. The address, dates and rules can change from year to year, so check the official USPS Operation Santa site for this year’s details before you mail anything.

• Read the program’s current rules on the official site before your child writes, so the letter fits them.
• Only include personal details you’re comfortable sharing. If the program asks for a return address, follow its guidance, and never add a full home address you aren’t comfortable with.
• Keep a photo or copy of the letter before it goes in the mail. You’ll want it later.

It depends on how you send it. Letters mailed through Operation Santa may be read and adopted by volunteers. Plenty of families never mail theirs at all: some leave the letter out on the mantelpiece or with the cookies, some “send” it up the chimney, and many parents quietly tuck it away as a keepsake. However your family does it, the important part is that your child felt heard.

A reply from Santa is the moment children remember. With Letters from Santa, Santa’s letter is written with a real pen, in real handwriting, and mailed to your child with a real stamp. When you start a letter, you’ll see a box labelled “Anything from your child’s letter to Santa?”. Paste in a line or two from what they wrote, and Santa can mention it in his reply, without promising any particular gift.

Timing matters in December, when the mail is busy. See our Christmas mailing deadlines and when to order a letter from Santa for this year’s order-by dates. For a little extra magic, our free Nice List certificate makes a lovely companion.