Writing a Christmas letter to Santa is a wonderful holiday tradition for children and their families. It’s a chance for kids to share their wish lists, and build language skills.
I remember one year sharing this process with our son’s family. Their twins wrote adorable letters to Santa — and even received a reply from the North Pole! What a fun memory. ❤️
Let’s make your “Dear Santa Letter” a memorable tradition your family will look forward to each year!
To get started, download our FREE Printable Dear Santa Letters for your child to complete. We’ve also created a list of activities that make letter-writing feel personal and fun.
You’ll find ideas to turn letter-writing into a holiday activity that fosters creativity and encourages your child’s imagination.
Ready to start? Here are some ideas to make your Dear Santa letters truly special!
How to Write a Letter to Santa
Starting a “Dear Santa” letter can be as simple or creative as your family wants it to be.
Here are some easy steps to get you and your child ready for a fun letter-writing experience.
Download the Dear Santa Letter Printable
To simplify things, we’ve created a Dear Santa Letter Template that’s free to download. It’s designed with young kids in mind, with space for their wish lists, and any other special messages they’d like to share with Santa. Print one out, grab some crayons, markers, or stickers, and let the creativity begin!
Create a Letter-Writing Spot
Setting up a “letter station” can make the experience feel extra special. Try clearing a spot at the kitchen table or setting up an area with holiday decorations.
Add some holiday music and maybe a cup of hot cocoa to make it festive. Creating this dedicated space can help kids feel focused and excited about the process.
Talk about Santa
Talking about Santa’s kindness and holiday traditions can help your child think of things to write about. Ask them:
- What would you like to say to Santa?
- Is there anything you’d like to thank Santa for from last year?
- What are you excited to tell Santa about this year?
- What would you like Santa to know about you?
This conversation will help spark ideas and allow you to share your childhood holiday memories.
Create a Wish List
Creating a visual wish list can be a fun, hands-on way for kids to share their holiday wishes with Santa. It helps children think carefully about what they truly want while bringing a hands-on element to their letter-writing.
Whether they dictate, draw, or cut out, this is a creative way to share their wishes with Santa. Plus, it’s a fun experience kids will look forward to every year!
Wish List Collage
If your child has a wish list, help them cut out pictures of favorite items from catalogs or magazines. They can glue these onto their letter, creating a visual wish list Santa can easily “see.” This adds a hands-on element and is especially helpful for younger children still learning to write.
If you don’t have magazines, print out images of their favorite toys or items. Let them cut and paste these onto the letter to make a personal wish list for Santa.
Tell Santa Their Wish List
For kids who are not writing yet, you can help by writing down their answers as they tell you. Keep it short and simple; younger kids often enjoy picking just a few things.
Draw Their Wish List
If your child loves to draw, encourage them to sketch out their wish list. It’s a fun way to make their letter unique while practicing fine motor skills, and it can be exciting to see what they choose to draw for Santa.
Creating a wish list adds a personal touch to your child’s letter, making it a fun holiday tradition. When you’re ready, move on to some extra activities to make the letter truly memorable!
Fun Ideas for Adding Personality
Making the “Dear Santa” letter feel personal and festive is easy with a few thoughtful touches.
Here are some creative ways for your child to add their unique style, making this letter a holiday memory they’ll treasure.
Holiday Stamps and Stickers
Give your child a few holiday-themed stamps and stickers to decorate the letter and envelope. They can choose fun designs like snowflakes, candy canes, or Santa hats. It’s a small touch that makes the letter feel special, and kids love picking out their favorite stickers!
Festive Holiday Colors
Let your child choose festive markers or crayons in classic holiday colors like red, green, and blue to write their letter. Bright colors make it feel lively, and using colors they think Santa would like gives it a personal touch.
Santa’s Favorite Color
Ask your child to guess what Santa’s favorite color might be, then encourage them to use that color to decorate the letter. This is an easy way to add color and encourages kids to think about Santa’s personality.
Holiday Drawings
Encourage your child to draw simple holiday-themed doodles on the letter, like stars, snowflakes, or a little Santa. If they’re feeling extra creative, they could add a small picture of Santa, his workshop, or reindeer on the letter. Kids love imagining Santa’s world, and adding a simple drawing can make the letter feel more playful.
Santa’s Journey Map
For a fun twist, help your child draw a simple map showing Santa’s journey from the North Pole to your house. They can add landmarks like mountains or their favorite park, making it an interactive way to imagine Santa’s trip.
Adding these touches to their “Dear Santa” letters can turn letter-writing into a holiday memory your child will look forward to each year. These ideas keep the experience light, creative, and uniquely theirs!
Adding Gratitude and Kindness
In addition to sharing their wish lists, writing to Santa is a wonderful opportunity for kids to practice kindness and gratitude. Adding a thankful message or a thoughtful promise can make the letter even more special.
Here are some simple ways to encourage kindness and gratitude in their “Dear Santa” letter.
Thank You Note
Help your child include a short thank-you note to Santa for last year’s gifts or memories. Practicing gratitude is a wonderful way to teach kindness, and it reminds children of the happiness they felt the previous year. A simple “Thank you, Santa, for last year’s gifts!” is a great start.
Family Gratitude List
Help your child think of a few things they’re grateful for this year — like family, friends, favorite toys, or even snow days! They can list them in the letter, showing Santa that they appreciate all the good things in their lives.
Family Traditions to Share
Encourage your child to tell Santa about a favorite holiday tradition, like baking cookies, decorating the tree, or reading a holiday book together. Sharing these details makes the letter feel warm and personal, like a little window into their holiday world.
Good Deed Promise
Have your child make a small promise to be kind this season. It could be something like sharing toys with siblings, helping set the table, or picking up their toys. Framing it as a way to help Santa makes it feel even more special.
By adding these touches of gratitude and kindness, kids can turn their “Dear Santa” letters into a thoughtful tradition that goes beyond wish lists. It’s a way to nurture thankfulness and gratitude this holiday season!
Extra Fun Touches
Once your child has started their letter, adding a few creative touches can make it even more special! These ideas are simple ways for kids to bring their personality to the page and make their letter to Santa Claus truly unique.
Cookie Recipe for Santa
Write a simple cookie recipe in the letter to let Santa know what treat will be waiting for him. It’s a sweet “sneak peek” that kids will enjoy sharing!
Reindeer Footprints
Use washable ink to stamp tiny “reindeer footprints” on the letter. This imaginative touch adds some holiday magic and helps kids picture Santa’s whole team reading their letter.
Holiday Card for Santa
Encourage your child to make a small holiday card to include with their letter. They can use festive colors, holiday stickers, or drawings to say, “Happy Holidays, Santa!”
Sign with a Friendly Goodbye
Teach your child to sign their letter with a friendly goodbye, such as “Love, [Their Name].” Adding a warm closing makes the letter feel complete.
Decorate the Envelope
Before sealing the letter, let your child decorate the envelope with stickers, festive doodles, or even a holiday-themed stamp. They could add tiny Christmas trees, stars, or candy canes. This simple step makes the letter feel special from the outside in!
Envelope Sealing
For the finishing touch, have your child use a holiday sticker to “seal” the envelope. It’s a small but festive detail that wraps up the whole experience.
Adding these small touches helps make writing to Santa a fun, personal tradition that’s sure to bring lasting memories.
A Lasting Holiday Tradition
Writing a “Dear Santa” letter can be more than just a fun holiday activity—it can grow into a cherished family tradition. Here are a few ways to make writing Dear Santa letters a memorable part of your holiday season, year after year.
Santa Letter Collection
Consider saving each year’s “Dear Santa” letters. Collecting these letters over time allows you to look back and see how your child’s wishes, creativity, and personality have grown. Store them in a holiday keepsake box or scrapbook for a fun tradition you can revisit each year together.
Keepsake Photo Moment
Before sending the letter, take a quick photo of your child holding it or placing it in the mailbox. This creates a lovely memory you can look back on each holiday season. It’s also a fun way to capture their excitement and keep it as part of the tradition.
Encouraging Kindness Beyond Christmas
Use the letter to talk about gratitude and kindness, not just for the holidays but throughout the year. Ask your child if there’s a small act of kindness they’d like to do after the holidays. This can be something simple, like donating their toys, helping around the house, or doing something nice for a friend or neighbor. These small actions can build kindness and generosity beyond the holiday season.
Making Santa letters part of your holiday traditions adds a special touch your family can look forward to each year.
Whether you save letters as keepsakes or create a yearly photo, these small moments become cherished memories that celebrate the spirit of the season.
How to Send a Letter to Santa
So what’s next after you have written all those letters to Santa?
This is the most popular way to send those letters to get a postmarked reply from the North Pole. Instructions directly from the USPS website:
- Have your child write a letter to Santa. GRAB our Dear Santa Letter Printable
- Write a personalized response to the child’s letter and sign it “From Santa.”
- Insert both letters into an envelope and address it to the child.
- Add the return address, SANTA, NORTH POLE, to the envelope.
- Ensure a First-Class Mail stamp is affixed to the envelope.
- Place the complete envelope into a larger envelope, both with the correct postage, and address it to:
NORTH POLE POSTMARK, POSTMASTER, 4141 POSTMARK DR, ANCHORAGE AK 99530-9998
USPS recommends you mail your letters between November 23 and December 1. Santa’s helpers in Anchorage, AK, will handle the rest!
For more ways to send your child’s letter, go here for the details.
Tips for a Fun and Stress-Free Memory
Here is a tip for saving the letters together. Write “Santa’s response” on the back of your child’s letter so they can recall what they wrote.
When responding as Santa, make the letter personal by talking about your child’s accomplishments—for example, helping around the house, being kind to siblings, or helping others.
Why not add this to your Thanksgiving tradition and include the whole family?
North Pole “Experience”
If your child enjoys a little extra holiday magic, create a pretend “North Pole” at home. It’s a fun way to continue the excitement of letter writing and building those language skills.
To set up your North Pole experience, write a letter from Santa or one of his helpers. You can include personal details about your child’s letter to Santa and maybe even mention something fun they did during the year.
If you’re feeling extra creative, add small “North Pole” items like a tiny sleigh bell, reindeer dust (glitter), or a mini cookie and glass of milk “left behind” by Santa. Deliver the response in an envelope with a festive seal, and maybe even sneak it under the tree or leave it in a special spot for your child to find.
Encourage your child to respond by asking questions or telling Santa about something they’d like to share. You can keep this tradition going year after year, letting your imagination (and the magic) grow each time!
How to Explain Santa
As children grow older, they may start asking questions about Santa. This is a wonderful opportunity to focus on the spirit of giving, love, and holiday magic. Consider reading Love, Santa by Martha Brockenbrough, a heartwarming story that beautifully captures the essence of Christmas and gently addresses questions about Santa.
Santa is more than just one person; we bring him to life through acts of kindness and the power of imagination. This transformative tale turns a universal childhood experience into a story about love, giving, and the true spirit of Christmas.
Note: This is not for young children as it will spoil the magic of Santa. The book is very difficult to find so maybe try your local library.
Here is the letter to her daughter that Martha published in the New York Times in 2009
Writing a “Dear Santa” letter can be a fun and memorable family activity that grows with your child each year. From sharing holiday traditions to teaching kindness and creativity, this activity can bring joy and reflection into your holiday season.
Want more fun holiday activities? Check out 50+ Christmas Activities.
Download our FREE Christmas Activities Checklist Printable to keep track of all the holiday activities.
We hope these extra ideas bring fun to your Dear Santa Letter Week!
Don’t forget to download your Dear Santa Letter Printable now!
📷🎄Remember to share your child’s letters or holiday memories with us on social media using #DBSHolidays!