Write a letter to Santa
Writing to Santa is one of the oldest Christmas traditions there is, and it still works exactly the same way: you say hello, you say something true, you say what you hope for, and you sign your name.
Below is a simple structure that works for a five-year-old dictating to a parent and for a ten-year-old writing alone — followed by the part where your letter is sealed and carried north.
The five parts of a letter to Santa
You do not need perfect handwriting or perfect spelling. You need these five parts, in this order.
- The greeting: "Dear Santa," — that is all it takes to start.
- Something about you: your name, your age, and where you live.
- Something about your year: what you learned, helped with or found hard.
- Your wishes: three to five, each with a short reason.
- The goodbye: a thank you, and your name at the bottom.
An example letter you can borrow from
"Dear Santa. My name is Nora and I am seven. This year I learned to skate backwards and I helped my little brother learn to tie his shoes. I would love a book about volcanoes because I want to know why they smoke, a sled that goes fast, and a game we can all play on Christmas Eve. Please say hello to the reindeer. Thank you, Nora."
Notice how short it is. Warmth beats length every single time — copy the shape, not the words.
Writing tips for parents and guardians
Sit next to your child rather than across from them, and write down what they say before editing anything. The odd, specific details — the reindeer, the shoes, the volcano — are the parts they will remember reading back next year.
If they get stuck
Ask three questions instead of asking for wishes: what was the best day this year, what do you want to get better at, and who else deserves a present?
Keeping a copy
At the end of the journey you can optionally send the finished letter to your own email address. It is the only place an email is ever asked for, and it can be skipped.
Then watch it travel to the North Pole
When the letter is finished it is folded, sealed with a wax stamp and handed to an elf. You tap to send him running through the snow, you find Santa's door among the lit windows of the village, and you hand over the letter yourself. Santa opens it, turns the page and reads your wishes back to you.
Questions families ask
- How do you start a letter to Santa?
- Start with "Dear Santa," then say your name and age. After that, write one true thing about your year before you list your wishes.
- Can I write a letter to Santa online for free?
- Yes. You can write, seal and send a letter to Santa here for free, with no account and no sign-up.
- Will Santa answer my letter?
- Santa reads your letter out loud at the North Pole at the end of the journey and thanks you by name.