Create Letter to Santa

The most important letter of the year

For many children, writing to Santa is the first real letter they ever send. It is also one of the few moments in the year when a child sits down on purpose to decide what they actually want, and to say something kind about themselves and others. This page gives that moment a worthy sheet of paper: a night sky with a crescent moon, a guiding star, a snowy village with a lit cottage window, and a border of holly.

It works in two ways. Parents can type the child’s answers into the form and print a tidy finished letter. Or print a nearly empty page, with numbered circles for the wishes and lines to write on, and let the child do all of the writing themselves. Both are good, and which you choose depends on the age of the child.

Working through the form

1. Press “Load sample data” to see a finished letter from a seven-year-old called Mia.
2. Introduce the writer. Name, age and where they live are combined into the opening sentence, for example “My name is Mia and I am 7 years old. I live at Maple Street, Portland.” Leave out any part and the sentence adjusts.
3. Choose the greeting. Use “Dear Father Christmas” if that is the name your family uses.
4. Explain why they have been good. One or two sentences are plenty. The text continues straight on after the introduction.
5. List up to six wishes, one per line. Each gets a round check circle to its left. Leave the box empty to print four empty circles with dotted lines.
6. Add a note, a snack for Santa and the reindeer, and a P.S. if you like. All of these are optional.
7. Print. The letter ends with “With lots of love” and the child’s name in script.

A realistic wish list

Children of five or six often name a single big present; older children write a long list. Six lines is a good ceiling because a shorter list reads as more sincere and is easier for grandparents and aunts to use if you share it. If your child has a long list, suggest putting the three most wanted items at the top and the rest after. You can also use the lines for experiences, such as “a day at the zoo” or “snow for Christmas”, and for wishes for other people.

Wishes are limited to 46 characters each, so they stay on one line. For longer items, shorten them to a plain description.

Tips for parents

• Let the child talk first. Type exactly what they say, then read the letter back together before you print.
• Add a surprise. Many families post letters in a special box or place them by the fireplace overnight so that a reply arrives from the “North Pole”. Some post offices and charities run a reply service, so check what is available near you.
• Keep a copy. A letter written at six is a lovely thing to find at sixteen. Save the PDF or fold the printed copy into a Christmas memory box.
• Use it in class. Teachers can print one blank letter per pupil as a writing activity and fill the wishes by hand.

Which paper and which colours

Standard printer paper is fine. For a keepsake, a slightly heavier paper of 100 to 120 gsm in off-white gives the page a handmade feel. The classic theme uses a deep red night sky; winter is a midnight blue, forest and gold is a rich green, and berry is a warm plum. Each prints well in colour, and the lined parts of the page remain readable in black and white.

Waiting for the big day? A countdown goes well with the letter: try our Christmas advent calendar, which lets you write a surprise behind each of the 24 doors. For the gifts that follow, label them with printable Christmas gift tags.

Questions people ask

What age is this letter for?
Any age. Younger children can dictate to a parent who types the form, and older children can fill in the form themselves. A blank version with lines is available by leaving the boxes empty.

Can I change “Santa” to another name?
Yes. Choose Santa Claus, Father Christmas or Mr. and Mrs. Claus. The greeting is the only part of the opening that is fixed to those four choices.

Is my child’s name stored anywhere?
The details you type are used to produce the PDF for you. Do not include an address that you would not want printed, and remember that the letter is shown on the page exactly as you type it.

How long can the letter be?
It fits one page. The text size reduces slightly when you use long answers, but everything is kept above the decorations at the bottom of the page.

Does Santa really write back?
That is for each family to decide. A printed reply can be a good extra: write it yourself and sign it from the North Pole.

Can I print on A4?
Yes. Choose “fit to page” in your printer settings.