Hohoho he’s back! Children have until December 20 to write to Santa Claus, whose famous secretariat installed by La Poste in Libourne (Gironde), which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, reopens its doors on Tuesday. Children can write to Santa Claus in two ways, opting for a traditional letter or electronically, La Poste said on Monday.
On the envelope of their letter, children can simply write “Santa Claus”, without forgetting their address on the back to be sure to receive a response. The letter to Santa Claus does not need a stamp. They can also choose the electronic version on the pere-noel.laposte.fr website by choosing “write to Father Christmas”.
1.2 million letters last year
Father Christmas and his sixty or so elves (volunteer postal workers and temporary workers) undertake to respond free of charge, in French or in English, to all children and classes. The children “will receive a beautiful letter from Santa Claus accompanied by a coloring postcard that they can send to their family and friends”, specifies La Poste in a press release. Last year, the public group received 1.2 million letters addressed to Santa Claus, according to a spokeswoman.
Initiated in 1962, this free PTT service had at the time received 5,000 letters from children, who had in return found in their mailbox a standard response written by the famous pediatrician and psychoanalyst Françoise Dolto, who was the sister of the Minister for Post Jacques Marette.
“Be wise, work well”
“My darling child, your kind letter gave me great pleasure. I send you my portrait. You see the postman found me, he’s very smart. I received a lot of orders. I don’t know if I can bring you what you asked for. I’ll try, but I’m (very) old and sometimes I’m wrong, you have to forgive me. Be wise, work well. I’m kissing you strongly. Santa Claus,” he wrote.
The minister had taken this initiative after learning that two postwomen, Odette Ménager in Nueil-sur-Layon (Maine-et-Loire) and Magdeleine Homo in Veules-les-Roses (Seine-Maritime), themselves answered the letters sent to Santa Claus, told La Poste.