What does the royal mail do with letters to santa

A festive question!

The Royal Mail, the postal service of the United Kingdom, has a special tradition of handling letters to Santa Claus. Here's what they do with them:

  1. Special sorting process: Letters to Santa are sorted separately from regular mail. They are collected from postboxes and sorting offices and taken to a special facility in London.
  2. North Pole address: The letters are addressed to the "North Pole" or "Santa Claus" and are stamped with a special "Santa's Grotto" postmark.
  3. Volunteer helpers: A team of volunteers, including children and adults, help sort and respond to the letters. They write replies on behalf of Santa, using a special template and a festive tone.
  4. Replies: The volunteers write replies to the children, thanking them for their letters and often including a small gift or treat. The replies are then sent back to the children through the Royal Mail.
  5. Charity partnership: The Royal Mail partners with the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) to help respond to the letters. The NSPCC provides additional support and resources to help the volunteers write replies.
  6. Online responses: In recent years, the Royal Mail has also started responding to letters to Santa online. Children can submit their letters through the Royal Mail's website, and the responses are sent back to them via email.

The Royal Mail's Santa's Grotto operation is a beloved tradition that brings joy to children across the UK and beyond. It's a wonderful example of how a postal service can use its resources to spread cheer and make a positive impact on people's lives.