Give Your Child a Letter From Santa

Christmas is a magical time of year, especially for children. You can make Christmas even more

magical by giving your child a letter from Santa!

The Letters From Santa program by the USPS allows your children to get a personalized response from Santa, including a postmark from the North Pole. You don’t want to wait too long to make this magical holiday memory though, because the deadline is coming up. All letters must be received by December 15^th, so you want to get those letters out ideally by the end of this week.

So, how does it work exactly?

First, have your child write their letter to Santa. You’ll want to have them address their letter to “Santa Claus, North Pole.”

Next, open the letter when you are alone and read the letter. Now is when the response comes in. Write a personal response to your child’s letter. This response should directly respond to the content of your child’s letter. It’s also a good idea to highlight some of your child’s accomplishments in the letter, such as good grades or how they help around the house. If you’re worried they will recognize your handwriting, ask another family member or a friend to re-write the response for you.

Put this response letter in an envelope and address it to your child, with the return address reading “Santa Claus, North Pole”. Don’t forget to add a stamp, preferably a Christmas one.

Now you need to place this response letter into a larger envelope, along with the correct postage, and address it to:

North Pole Postmark
Postmaster
4141 Postmark Drive
Anchorage, AK 99530-9998.

Please remember that your child’s letter must arrive in Alaska by the 15^th to guarantee a response!

The look on your child’s face will be priceless when they see the envelope addressed to them from Santa. So what are you waiting for? Remind your child to write their letter to Santa so you can get working on that response for them!

Tools of the Trade

Have you recently been inspired to start writing letters? But are you also intimidated by the letter

writing tips you’ve found on Pinterest? While you can certainly strive to create beautiful letters like you see online, if you’re just starting this new hobby you have to remember it takes practice. We’ve put together a list of supplies you’ll want to have on-hand if you want to take up the habit of writing letters.

1.      Stationary. There’s thousands and thousands of options out there when it comes to stationary. Choose one that you send all the time, giving your letters a signature look. Or choose different types so you can change it up based on the person, occasion, and season. Stationary will make your letters stand out, plus it’s more fun to use than plain paper.

2.      Pens. It may be obvious, but there’s many types of pens you can choose from. Want to keep it simple? Go for black. Want something more eye-catching? Write in a different color. Maybe you want to learn to use a fountain pen, which will give your letters a more elegant appearance. Invest in some high-quality pens specifically for letters!

3.      Stickers. If you’re looking for an easy way to dress up your letters and envelopes, stickers are a cheap and easy way to do that. There’s tons of options out there to choose from. Just make sure you don’t block the address or the return address.

4.      Stamps. Stamps are another easy way to dress up your letters and envelopes. Like stickers, you can find tons of options at your local craft store or online.

5.      A letter opener. If you’re going to be sending a lot of letters, you’re going to start receiving a lot of letters as well. You’ll want to have a tool to make it easy to open those letters without destroying the envelopes. Maybe this is to keep the return address safe, maybe it’s because a lot of work went into the envelope. No matter the reason, you should plan to invest in a letter opener.

These simple items will help you get started when it comes to letter writing!

Put Together the Perfect Care Package

Are you looking to send a care package but aren’t sure what to send? Sick of sending the same items to the camp your kid is it? Well don’t worry, because we’ve come up with some great themed care packages to help you out!

For the Artist: Create a care package filled with things to inspire your artist! Send colored pencils, markers, and crayons. Pack up multiple types of paper. Send along a small art book to give them inspiration. A sketchbook with pencils is great for allowing them to draw. Encourage them to bring home their art to show you when camp is over!

For the Fashionable: Send along a spa in a box! Include nail polish, nail polish remover, cotton balls, lotion, and lip gloss. Throw in some glitter, hairspray, and makeup such as eye shadow and blush. Include some fun hair accessories such as ribbons and clips. This will make for a fun girl’s night in the bunk!      

For the Thinker: Got a kid that just loves school? Send them items that allow them to use their minds while away at camp. Great options include paperback novels, Sudoku books, crosswords, word searches, and a reading light. Send along a book of riddles and challenge them to solve as many as possible before they get home. While there’s tons of activities while at camp there’s sure to be some down time, and this care package is great for that.

For the Nostalgic: Will your kid come back and inevitably keep speaking of their camp experiences and friends over and over? Send them a package with things to help them remember those memories. Send materials for friendship bracelets, a disposable camera, and scrapbooking materials. A journal will allow your kid to record each day so they can read back on it later. Send along a backpack or shirt that can be written on so your kid can collect everyone’s signatures before they come home!

For the Social Butterfly: Send your kid a lot of items that can be used by a lot of people. Playing cards and Mad Libs are two great items that can provide hours of fun for the entire bunk. Some more outdoor activities such as Frisbees or water guns allow for more physical play with friends. Snacks for the bunk such as homemade cookies are sure to be a huge hit, but make sure you check the camp’s policy on food being mailed in.

For the Fan: Is your child a huge fangirl or fanboy? Do they obsess over their favorite TV show, book, or sport hero? Make a themed care package around their obsession. For example, say they are into Harry Potter. Include a Hogwarts acceptance letter. Send some temporary tattoos or stickers. Make or a buy a Harry Potter themed snack. A water bottle with the Hogwarts houses on it is practical and fun. This type of care package will really show you know your kids!

Now before you go off creating that perfect care package, make sure to look at the camp rules. Some camps prohibit food, water toys, and sometimes care packages all together! Know what’s appropriate for your child’s camp then start creating and mailing those great care packages!