It’s never too early to get those letters to Santa ready (and for mum and dad to take a photo of the letter in case the letter gets “lost” in the mail).
According to Australia Post, sacks of letters have already started arriving at the North Pole from eager kids and they say there are some key dates to ensure everyone gets a response before Santa and his elves get busy loading the sleigh for Christmas Eve.
Santa Letter Cut-Off Dates
With more than 118,000 letters received last year, Santa needs families to post their letters before 1 December.
How Does It Work?
Santa encourages children of any age to send a letter. They should be addressed to Santa, North Pole, 9999 and they should have a 65c Christmas-card only stamp affixed to the front of the envelope, and a name and return address on the back so Santa knows where to send a reply.
Parents and children who have low vision can receive a large text reply from Santa by sending their letters to Santa Mail (large text), North Pole, 9999. All Santa Mail letters can be placed in any red Street Posting Box or dropped off at your local Post Office.
Australia Post Executive General Manager Retail Catriona Noble said: “Santa Mail is one of those Australian traditions that families look forward to each year, adding a little touch of magic to every household. We want to ensure that Santa has enough time to reply to every child, so we encourage everyone to write and post their letters as soon as possible.”
Australia Post is also launching its annual Christmas stamp collection for 2023, with five enchanting designs that add an Aussie flare to the Christmas story, including the Southern Cross constellation and native flower motifs.
The collection features two traditional designs with beautifully illustrated images of the Three Wise Men and Mary and Baby Jesus by Dani Poor. There are also three secular stamps available, designed by Jo Muré, that feature a Christmas tree, Christmas decorations and the Santa Mail stamp.
Christmas card Stamps are 65c each for domestic posting* and $3 for international posting**. The new collection will also include a first-day cover, stamp pack, minisheet, maxicards as well as booklet of 20 x 65c packs. They are on sale now at participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online while stocks last. For more information visit auspost.com.au/stamps or australiapostcollectables.com.au.
To give Christmas parcels the best chance of arriving on time, parcels should be sent by Monday 18 December for most destinations within Australia, or if sending via Express Post by Thursday 21 December. People sending to or from Western Australia and Northern Territory should allow a few extra days.
For more information on how to address letters to Santa, lesson plans, letter templates, and writing tips visit auspost.com.au/santamail, where you can also track the letter’s progress with the Santa Mail Tracker.
Handy Tips
Handy tips are available on the Australia Post website to help parents and teachers track the many letters on their journey North:
Brainstorm – You can head to Santa Mail – Australia Post (auspost.com.au) to download a handy template to get children’s ideas bubbling, with prompts for parents and teachers
Write, draw, sing – Put pencil to paper to write your letter, or this year, to support different accessibility needs, children can even sing a song, draw a picture or send a photo outlining their wish list.
Send – We’re a long way from the North Pole! Send your letters by 1 December
Shop Local This Christmas
ITC will soon be releasing our Christmas Gift Guides and we would love you to take the Pledge to Shop Local This Christmas. Here are some tips for getting ready for Christmas from ITC Business Supporters.
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