Delivering Australia’s letters to Santa Claus this Christmas

For a child, one of the first magical sparks of Christmas is lit when they put pencil (or crayon) to paper. With a bowed head and little face screwed up in concentration, they meticulously write a heartfelt letter to Santa Claus, listing the gifts they hope to receive in return for being good all year.

This letter-writing tradition is considered an age-old one but in fact, it only came about in the second half of the 19th century. Before that, children would receive letters from Santa Claus instead, usually written by parents masquerading as the jolly bearded fellow, to counsel their children on their behaviour throughout the year.

When Christmas gift-giving gained popularity, the letter-writing tradition evolved from children receiving these report cards to writing wish lists.

And now, Australia Post is doing its part and delivering those hopeful letters to the North Pole.

Getting letters to the North Pole through Santa Mail

Our Santa Mail program is a fun and exciting way for primary school-aged children to write letters to Santa and receive a personalised response from him.

Schools right across Australia can spread the merry by encouraging students to step away from digital screens and return to the evergreen practice of handwriting.

Our Australia Post Head of Marketing Communications, Corrina Brazel, says, “Letter writing is such a wonderful way for kids to express themselves creatively - either in a group or as an individual. Writing to Santa is the chance to get all those extra special wishes out into the world with the hope that Santa will make them come true!”

The Santa Mail website features an activity guide suitable for ages 5–12, as well as festive templates to inspire creativity so the letters stand out on Santa’s desk. And once those letters are written, we’ll send each classroom a very special reply. 

Families can mail their letters right up until 2 December, but we recommend schools send theirs by 24 November so Santa can respond before the end of term. Some Post Offices will also have a floor-standing Santa Mailbox for you to pop your letters into.

Building students’ literacy skills and improving accessibility

Handwriting letters to Santa Claus is a great way to introduce children to writing with purpose, clarity and authenticity. Writing a letter requires spending time crafting thoughtful sentences and getting children to think about what they want to say and how to say it helps them practice meaningful communication and build literacy skills.

These skills are especially important in the digital age when speed and word limits prompt us to take shortcuts around language.

As part of our ongoing commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, our Santa Mail program also features simplified messaging and large print responses for children with low vision.

As Corrina says, “We want every child to be able to have the joy of getting in contact with Santa, so this year, our program is open to any form of communication—be it a letter, drawing, song, or photo. In return, kids will receive a response from Santa that suits their accessibility needs, including large font and braille.”