If your child hasn’t had a chance to see Santa Claus to tell him what he or she wants for Christmas, don’t fret. Your little one can still get in touch with jolly old St. Nick, and there are many different ways to do so. They can write, call, or email, and you can also check with local merchants or the Chamber of Commerce for times and locations of his future visits.
To write a letter to Santa in the United States, visit the United States Postal Service (USPS) website for more information, or check with a United States Post Office near you for details. Letters mailed to the North Pole require special handling. You don’t want your letter to get lost, so be sure to follow the instructions carefully. Some offices also have special boxes just for these letters.
Aside from the Post Office, you can find many resources online where children can write to Santa, and receive a letter in return. You may have to register and perhaps pay a small fee for access, however. Many websites provide email access to him as well. Children should be supervised at all times when online and should be cautioned not to give out personally identifying information, even to Santa. If you are concerned about the reputation of a website or simply don’t have enough information about it to know if it’s a good one, consider having your child use the email option at the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) website.
If you and your kids don’t feel like writing, you can always pick up the phone and give St. Nick a call. He has many phone numbers, so you should have no problem locating one. You can look online or you can check with your local phone company, since many provide direct hotlines to the North Pole. Grown ups can hold onto the number just in case somebody is naughty.
As it gets closer to Christmas, Santa gets busier, so children may be connected to Mrs. Claus or one of the elves if he can’t come to the phone. That’s okay too, because their messages will still get through. These options also come in handy if a child forgets to add something to his or her wish list — there’s no need for tears, just call to update the list as necessary. Some children do this many times before Christmas Eve arrives. Santa is always glad to hear from children, which is why there are so many ways to get in touch with him.