Santa Claus’ Main Post Office
I’ve always loved Christmas. In grade school, I always wrote my annual letter to Santa professing just what a good girl I had been all year long and, please, wouldn’t he grant my wishes. My teacher would then send off the letters for the entire class. But where did all our letters go? To The Santa Claus’ Main Post Office at the Arctic Circle in Finland!
Christina the Elf reads letters from children around the world
My visit to The Santa Claus’ Main Post Office was the highlight of my visit to the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Finland. I spent the morning with Christina the Elf as she told me all about the letters Santa receives from all over the world and she even let me help out to open a few from children in the United States! The Santa Claus’ Main Post Office has received over 15 million letters from 198 countries since 1985. During the months of November and December, Santa receives around 32,000 letters daily. The most letters come from the United Kingdom, Italy, Romania, Poland, Finland, and Japan. Christina and the other elves first sort the letters by country and then open and read every single one all completely by hand.
Letters sorted by country
The Santa Claus’ Main Post Office also has its own special Arctic Circle postmark. Each card, letter, or package mailed from The Santa Claus’ Main Post Office is stamped by hand with the special postmark. If you’re visiting at other times of the year, you can drop your postcards in the red mailbox to be held by the post office and then delivered just in time for Christmas.
Each year Santa tries to respond to as many children as possible. Parents can help Santa out by requesting a letter from Santa. The letter is available in eleven different languages, including English, and the envelop bears the special Arctic Circle postmark and a Christmas stamp.
Cozy, fireside room
The longest letter written to Santa
The fireside room at The Santa Claus’ Main Post Office is the perfect, cozy spot to write a letter to Santa and to look at a small exhibition of the letters, packages, and gifts that have been sent to Santa. The longest letter Santa ever received is on display; it was 1,355 feet long and came from Romania.
Want to send your own letter to Santa? Write him at:
Santa Claus’ Main Post Office
Santa’s Workshop Village
96930 Arctic Circle
Jennifer Dombrowski
Jennifer Dombrowski is a location independent globe trotter and bases herself in Prata di Pordenone, Italy. She works as a social media and innovation strategist in higher education and is a regular contributor on johnnyjet.com. Her website, jdombstravels.com, is the 2012 Destinology Travel Bloggy Best Newcomer award winner. Google+
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We’re Jennifer and Tim and we love traveling! We are just one ordinary couple who have found that travel brought us closer together, taught us patience, the art of compromise, and how to truly appreciate the diversity of this extraordinary world. So far, we've visited 37 countries, lived in the United States and Italy, and Tim has lived in Korea. And we do it all while both holding down full time jobs. 
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Andrea
December 20, 2012 at 6:18 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
How fun! Finland is the home of so much awesome stuff
Andrea recently posted..Our Top Posts From 2012
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
December 21st, 2012 at 2:26 pm
A visit to Santa Claus’ Office and the Santa Claus’ Main Post Office will certainly put you in the Christmas spirit! And I agree, Finland is home to a lot of awesome things!
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Cathy Sweeney
December 20, 2012 at 11:14 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Fun, fun, fun! A visit to Santa’s PO is now on my bucket list. I wonder if I still have time to send a letter this year — there’s a few things I’d like.
Cathy Sweeney recently posted..Sleigh Bells Ring in Europe
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
December 21st, 2012 at 2:28 pm
I would definitely recommend to add it to your bucket list, Cathy! Such a fun experience to see the magic of children’s beliefs from all over the world. It really shows we’re all the same even if we don’t like to admit it.
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Ali
December 26, 2012 at 4:32 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
That’s so cool! I love that the address is just “Arctic Circle” with no need for even the country!
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
January 6th, 2013 at 12:18 am
Visiting the post office was so much fun; especially opening and reading some of the children’s letters.
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Weekend Whimsy : 22 – 23 Dec | Box 53B
December 20, 2012 at 2:18 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
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