Sharpen the pencils and get in quick, it’s almost closing time for letters to St Nick

Writing a letter to Santa is an important Christmas tradition for many children and early childhood education and care (ECEC) services, and this year is expected to be busier than ever.

 

As such, Australia Post has said that for those children who are hoping for a reply from Father Christmas, letters need to be in the mailbox before 2 December, to account for demand. 

 

Handy tips are available on the Australia Post website to help educators and parents to track the many letters on their journey North:

 

• Brainstorm – head to Santa Mail to download a handy template to get children’s ideas bubbling, with prompts for parents and educators

• Write, draw, sing – this year, to support different accessibility needs, children can sing a song, draw a picture or send a photo outlining their wish list.

• Send – we’re a long way from the North Pole! Send your letters by 2 December

 

• Track – follow the magic with Australia Post’s Santa Mail Tracker

 

Australia Post General Manager, Retail Operations Josh Bannister said Christmas was the busiest time of year for the postal service and that the Australia Post team loved being able to bring a touch of magic to children across the country.

 

“Families look forward to Santa Mail each year and there’s nothing better for us than helping children get their beautifully crafted letters to Santa. We load our trucks and planes, and the letters travel to him all the way from Australia to the North Pole – that’s more than 12,000 km!”

 

Once the letters are sent Santa and his elves read and reply to every child.

 

“Santa Mail brings a sense of excitement to all and it’s a fantastic way to get children writing and practising their literacy skills. We love seeing families and teachers getting involved,” Mr Bannister said. 

 

“We want every child to be able to have the joy of getting in contact with Santa, so this year, our program is open to any form of communication – be it a letter, drawing, song, or photo. In return, kids will receive a response from Santa that suits their accessibility needs, including large print or braille formats.”

 

Children of any age are encouraged to take part and letters should be addressed to:

 

Santa, North Pole, 9999 with a 65c Christmas-card only stamp to the front of the envelope, and include a name and return address on the back so Santa knows where to send his reply.

 

Parents and children who have low vision can opt-in to receive a large text reply from Santa by sending their letters to: 

 

Santa Mail (large text), North Pole, 9999.

 

Santa Mail letters can be placed in any red street posting box, or a dedicated Santa Mail box in participating Post Offices.

 

For more information on how to address letters to Santa, lesson plans, letter templates, and writing tips, visit auspost.com.au/santamail, where you can also track the letter’s progress with the Santa Mail Tracker.