What to write in a letter from Santa (with examples)

The letters children keep are not the ones with the fanciest border. They are the ones that prove Santa was paying attention. Here is a simple shape that works for any age.

How to write it

Open with one thing only Santa could know

A specific moment from this year: the first bike ride without training wheels, the school play, being brave at the dentist.

Praise effort, not perfection

Children believe "I saw how hard you practiced" far more than "you were so good this year."

Mention the wish, but do not promise it

Santa can say he loved reading the list. That keeps the magic and leaves you free on Christmas morning.

End with a small job

Leave out a carrot for the reindeer, or go to bed early on Christmas Eve. A job makes the letter feel real.

An example

Dear Mia, I heard you learned to ride your bike without training wheels this summer, and that you got back on after you fell. That is exactly the kind of brave I like best. I loved reading your wish list. Would you leave a carrot out for Comet? He has been asking.

Another way to say it

Dear Leo, the elves showed me the tower you built out of every block in the house. I counted forty-one before it fell over, and I heard you laughed instead of crying. That is the spirit I like to see. Thank you for sharing your snack with the new boy at school.

These are examples we wrote to show the tone. They are not customers’ letters.

Print a free fill-in-the-name version No sign-up. Write your child’s name on the line.

Questions parents ask

How long should a letter from Santa be?

For most children, 80 to 150 words is plenty: a greeting, one or two things they did this year, a kind word about the wish list, and a sign-off. Younger children do better with less.

Should Santa mention presents?

He can say he enjoyed reading the list, but it is safer not to name or promise a gift. Plans change, and a letter that promised a bike is hard to explain on Christmas morning.

Want one written for your child?

Tell us a first name and a few true things about their year. A letter from Santa Claus with a matching certificate is ready to print in a minute or two. From $3.99, nothing to mail.

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