“Dear Santa…” This is often how children begin their annual letter to the leading figure of Christmas. Its secretariat installed by La Poste in Libourne (Gironde) has reopened its doors. And the cherubs who still believe in his existence can write to him until December 20. “This year, Santa Claus was exceptionally assisted by the successful author Michel Bussi in writing his answers,” rejoices the La Poste group on Tuesday in a press release.
The writer of suspense novels “is very active with young audiences: he wrote a Christmas story for the Red Cross and regularly speaks for Secours populaire. Since 2018, he has been writing for young people, one of his most read works is The Tales of Waking Up in the Morning “, explained La Poste.
No need for stamp
Children can write to Santa Claus in two ways, opting for a traditional letter or electronically, recalled La Poste, which opened this secretariat for the first time in 1962. On the envelope of their letter, the children can simply write “Santa Claus”, without forgetting to write their address on the back so that they can receive a response. The letter to Santa does not need a stamp.
Children will also be able to choose the electronic version on the site pere-noel.laposte.fr by choosing “Write to Santa”. Santa Claus and his sixty elves undertake to respond free of charge, in French or English, to all children and classes.
A postcard in return
Children will receive “a beautiful letter from Santa Claus accompanied by a coloring postcard that they can send to their family and friends,” promised La Poste. This year, the latter invites children “to send drawings and messages for hospitalized children in order to bring them joy and comfort”, which will be transmitted through the Hospital Foundation.
The group receives more than a million letters intended for Santa Claus each year, the head of the “Santa Claus secretariat”, David Resse, told AFP. Launched in 1962, this free PTT service at the time received 5,000 letters from children, who in return found in their box a standard response written by the famous pediatrician and psychoanalyst Françoise Dolto, sister of the man who was then Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Jacques Marette.