Letter to Santa
Free printable letter to Santa for kids: big lines and a drawing box for ages 3 to 6, more room for ages 7 to 12. Plus how to mail it and get a reply.
- Ages 3 to 6 template
- 5 prompts, big writing lines and a drawing box
- Ages 7 to 12 template
- 9 prompts with extra lines, including a question for Santa
- USPS Operation Santa 2026: letters accepted from
- September 14
- USPS Operation Santa 2026: last call for letter writers
- December 5
- USPS Operation Santa 2026: last call for adopters
- December 12
- Paper sizes
- US Letter and A4
- Free letters from Santa
- 3 a day on each device, no sign-up
Print a page your child can fill in on their own. The younger template has five big prompts (name, age, something they learned, their wish, and a sign-off) and a box for a drawing. The older template has room for what they are proud of, something kind they did, something they are working on, and a question for Santa.
Both templates download as a PDF for US Letter or A4, made in your browser.
How to help your child write a letter to Santa
Sit down with them, but let them do the writing, even if the spelling is creative. Young children can draw the wish instead of writing it. A few prompts help them say more than a gift list:
- What are you proud of this year?
- What is something kind you did for someone?
- What would you like to ask Santa?
Keep the finished letter. The answers to those prompts are exactly what Santa needs to write back.
Where to send a letter to Santa
In the United States, the Postal Service runs USPS Operation Santa. For 2026 its mailroom accepts letters to Santa from September 14, and the last call for letter writers is December 5. Volunteers can then adopt letters and send gifts; personal details are removed before letters are posted. Check the official site for the current address and rules before you mail.
Many families simply leave the letter by the fireplace, in a stocking, or next to the cookie plate, and Santa "collects" it overnight.
Get Santa to write back
The best part of writing to Santa is the reply. Take what your child wrote (their proudest moment, the kind thing they did, their wish) and type it into the letter from Santa tool. It writes back about those exact things, in words that fit their age, on North Pole stationery you can print tonight. Santa never promises the gift, so you're never stuck with a promise you can't keep.
Letter to Santa template ideas by age
- Ages 3 to 4: let them draw, and write their words for them under the drawing.
- Ages 5 to 6: the big-line template; they write their name and the wish, you help with the rest.
- Ages 7 to 9: the older template; ask them to fill every prompt, not just the wish.
- Ages 10 to 12: if they're starting to wonder about Santa, writing to Santa is still a lovely tradition. Our page on letters from Santa for older kids has ideas for the reply.
Frequently asked questions
Is the letter to Santa template free?
Yes. Both the ages 3 to 6 and ages 7 to 12 templates are free to download and print on US Letter or A4.
When should my child write to Santa?
Any time in November or early December. If you plan to mail it through USPS Operation Santa, the 2026 last call for letter writers is December 5.
Will Santa write back?
If you want him to: type what your child wrote into the letter from Santa tool and print the reply. It's free for up to 3 letters a day.