What to Write in a Letter From Santa
A letter from Santa to your child should open with their name, share a little news from the North Pole, mention two or three true details from their year, praise something they tried hard at, stay vague about gifts, and end warmly. Six or seven sentences is plenty. The words matter less than the details, because the details are what convince a child this letter could not have been written for anyone else.
Maybe you are wondering what to write in a letter from Santa because you are filling in a printable this year, or working the family magic by hand at eleven at night. Either way, this is the North Pole's own guide to what Santa writes and what he never would. For the whole tradition in one place, start with our complete guide to letters from Santa.
What goes in a letter from Santa to a child?
Before you write a word, it helps to see a finished one. The letter below is a real example of ours, written for a demonstration family, and it shows the full recipe at work.
Look at what it actually says. It greets Melissa by name. It mentions her house in her own town, and that she is six now. It congratulates her for making the Nice List, and lets slip that her little sister made it too. It even passes along a compliment from her math teacher.
None of it is fancy writing. It is a handful of details that fit exactly one little girl, and that works the same whether the letter comes from the North Pole or from your kitchen table.
So the working parts of a letter from Santa are these: a greeting with the child's name, a line or two of North Pole news, the personal details, praise for something they did, a gentle look ahead to Christmas Eve, and a warm sign off. Get those six parts in and everything else is decoration.
How do you start a letter from Santa?
Start with Santa's world, not with your child's behavior. A letter that opens with "I have been watching to see if you are good" reads like a report card. Open instead with what is happening at the North Pole, so the letter lands like a note from a faraway friend.
A few openers that always land: the reindeer are practicing their takeoffs and Rudolph keeps showing off. Mrs. Claus just pulled a tray of cookies out of the oven and the whole workshop smells like cinnamon. An elf fell asleep in a pile of wrapping paper again.
One line of that, and then turn to the child: "But enough about us. The Elves have been telling me all about you." Now you have their full attention, because Santa brought them into his world before he said a word about theirs.
Which details make the letter feel real?
The ones nobody could guess. A clever child can explain away nice paper and a fancy font. She has a much harder time explaining how Santa knew the goldfish's name, or that she finally rode the two wheeler in April, or that her best friend is named Harper.
Before you write, jot down five things from your child's year. The pet. The teacher. The lost tooth. The thing they practiced all summer. The small kindness you saw them do when they thought nobody was looking. Then pick the two or three that would make your child's mouth fall open, and put those in Santa's voice. You do not need all five. A letter that knows everything feels like a file. A letter that knows a few private, happy things feels like magic.
One more tip from twenty years of writing these: aim the praise at the effort. "I heard how hard you worked on your reading" reaches a child in a way "you are so smart" never will, and it is still true on a day when the reading went badly.
What should the letter say at each age?
The same recipe, different seasoning. Here is how the emphasis shifts as your child grows.
| Age | What lands hardest | A line Santa might write |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 4 | Hearing their own name read aloud, reindeer, anything cozy and simple. Keep it short. | "Rudolph jumped for joy when I told him your name!" |
| 5 to 7 | Elves reporting specific good deeds, school details, a sibling or friend mentioned by name. | "The Elves told me you helped your little brother learn to pump his legs on the swing." |
| 8 to 10 | Details nobody could guess, a little humor, being spoken to like a big kid. | "I remember when your mom was your age. She left me oatmeal cookies, too." |
The eight to ten window is also when the hard questions start at school. If that is the season you are in, our guide to what age kids stop believing in Santa walks through it gently.
What should Santa never write?
Four things, and they matter more than anything on the list above.
- No naughty list threats. Santa never warns, never scolds, and never puts a child on probation. The letter is a celebration, not a behavior contract.
- No promised gifts. Never let Santa name what is under the tree. Plans change, packages sell out, and a letter that promised a puppy lives forever. "I have read your list very carefully" says plenty.
- No embarrassing details. The wet bed, the bad grade, the tantrum at the store. Santa knows only the proud moments.
- No "I am always watching." That line reads sweet to adults and creepy to a seven year old. At our North Pole, the Elves pass along happy news. Nobody surveils anybody.
A short letter you can copy tonight
If you are writing your own, here is the six sentence version. Fill in the blanks and you are done before the cocoa cools.
- "Dear ______," and one line of North Pole news.
- "The Elves tell me you are ______ years old now and that you ______." Use a real detail.
- One line of praise for an effort: "I was so proud when I heard you ______."
- One private, happy detail: the pet, the friend, the teacher, the tooth.
- A look ahead: "Remember to have those eyes closed early on Christmas Eve."
- "Love, Santa." Big signature, slight slant.
Printing it at home? Our comparison of a free printable letter and a real personalized letter has the paper, font and delivery tricks that make a homemade letter feel mailed. The Postal Service will even add a real North Pole postmark through its Greetings from the North Pole program, if you plan ahead in November.
What if you would rather Santa handle it?
Writing the letter is the fun part for some parents and one more December job for others. If it is the second one at your house, this is what we do all year. You type in the details at checkout, the same five things you jotted down above, and the North Pole writes the letter, prints it on keepsake parchment, seals it, and mails it to your child in a decorated envelope. Our guide to how to get a personalized letter from Santa shows the whole five minute process.
The letters that come back to us most often in reviews are the ones written for the year a child needed it:
'My kids were amazed with the personalized letter. I loved that I was able to make them completely specific to each child. My eldest daughter, 9, had a rough season missing my mother, and the letter provided comfort to her. She said "Mom, how does he KNOW all of this?!?"'
- Heather A., Illinois - Verified Buyer
Frequently asked questions
What do you write in a letter from Santa to a child?
Open with the child's name and a line of North Pole news, mention two or three true details from their year, praise an effort rather than a result, keep any mention of gifts vague, and sign off warmly from Santa. Six or seven short sentences is plenty for any age.
How do you start a letter from Santa?
Start with Santa's world rather than the child's behavior: the reindeer practicing takeoffs, Mrs. Claus baking, an elf asleep in the wrapping paper. Then turn to the child with a line like "The Elves have been telling me all about you." Avoid opening with anything about being watched or being good.
Should Santa promise gifts in the letter?
No. Plans change and packages sell out, so a promised gift can turn a magical letter into a broken promise. Santa should acknowledge the wish list warmly, with a line like "I have read your list very carefully," and leave the contents of Christmas morning a surprise.
How long should a letter from Santa be?
About six to eight sentences, or three to five short paragraphs for an older child. Toddlers need only a few lines read aloud. Length matters less than what the letter knows: one detail nobody else could know is worth three paragraphs of general cheer.
What details should Santa include for an older child?
An eight to ten year old is checking the letter for proof, so include details nobody outside the family could guess: the pet's name, the teacher, something they practiced and finally did, a friend mentioned by name. A touch of humor and a big kid tone help the letter survive real scrutiny.
Write it your way, or tell us the details
However the letter gets written, the magic is in what it knows. If you would like the North Pole to do the writing, printing and mailing, we have been doing it for one family at a time since 2006.
Create their Santa letter →Backed by our 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee.
About the author
Co-Founder, Package From Santa®
Carey is a co-founder of Package From Santa® and a parent who has spent more than 20 years helping families create believable, personalized Christmas magic. Known around the North Pole as Elf Carey.
Related reading: Letters from Santa: the complete guide for parents and How to get a personalized letter from Santa on the Package From Santa® blog.
