Letter from Santa, anyone?

How to send your child a letter from Santa

Various services sell "Letters From Santa" mailed with a North Pole (Alaska) postmark. The post office began this service in 1953 and offers it at no cost; all you have to do is supply the letter.

Here's how to do it:

Write your letter from Santa. Be vague about the gifts - keep those kids guessing! - and throw in something about having to go feed the reindeer, etc. etc. to give the letter an authentic touch.

Request a treat you'd like to be rewarded with. The older your child, the more you should consider such details as paper and handwriting (older yet still-Santa-believing kids might be suspicious if they recognize your writing style).

Put the letter in an stamped envelope, addressed to your child.

Place the envelope into a larger, properly-stamped envelope addressed to: North Pole Christmas Cancellation/Postmaster, 5400 Mail Trail, Fairbanks, AK 99709-9998.

Or address your outer envelope to the Postmaster of any of a number of cities with seasonally relevant names, and label your package "Holiday Greeting Card Re-Mailing."

A few of favorites are listed below.

Mail your letter before Dec. 15, or even earlier to be on the safe side. The post office is anticipating the need to process over a million letters to Santa this year.

Cities Santa might vacation in and send your child a letter from:

Antlers OK 74523

Christmas FL 32709

Frost TX 76641

Holly CO 81047

Joy IL 61260

Mistletoe KY 41351

Noel MO 64854

North Pole NY 12946

Rudolph OH 43462

Santa Claus IN 47579

Snowflake AZ 85937

Thanks to ZRecs for the information!