La Poste’s ‘Father Christmas’ service now open
Elves can even respond to letters in English
The Secrétariat du Père Noël service first began in 1962
ANNA GRANT / Shutterstock
Children in France can now send a letter to Father Christmas via national postal company La Poste.
The Secrétariat du Père Noël, based in Libourne (Nouvelle-Aquitaine), reopened for its 63rd year on November 19 - a service which first began in 1962.
“Father Christmas and his 60 elves will be back at work to respond to hundreds of thousands of letters full of dreams, wishes and drawings from all over the world,” explains the La Poste website.
If the letter is sent before December 20 and includes a return address, children will receive a response from Father Christmas, one of his elves, or French writer Nicolas Vanier, who the service has partnered with this year.
Those who write in English will receive the same in kind: “Since the magic of Christmas knows no boundaries, the elves can also make sure to send a reply in English,” says La Poste.
How to send a letter to Father Christmas
There are two ways to send a letter to the Secrétariat du Père Noël - both in a physical letter and digitally via the La Poste website.
Physical letter
If writing a physical letter, the envelope must clearly show it is for Father Christmas (Père Noël, Papa Noël, or petit Papa Noël).
The rest of the address can also be written out to make it clear the letter is not a real one. For example, it can be addressed to the: Secrétariat du Père Noël, 33500 Libourne, France.
The service is free, and you do not need to put a stamp onto the letter.
Remember to include a name and return address on the back of the envelope or letter to receive a reply along with a postcard to colour in.
They can be dropped off at over 2,300 special post boxes installed in La Poste offices across France, or alternatively you can ask your postal worker where to drop the letter off if you do not have a post office near you.
Digital letter
The digital letter provides children with a personalisable template to type all necessary information.
Children opting for this method will also receive a response from Father Christmas or his helpers.
Most letters contain a wishlist of presents as well as a declaration that the particular child has been on their best behaviour this year.
Combatting isolation during the festive period
La Poste is also partnering with an association called 1 Lettre 1 Sourire, which encourages people to write to isolated elderly people to combat loneliness through the power of a letter.
Children can support the initiative when writing to Father Christmas by choosing to send a drawing and a short message to residents of retirement homes across France, via the Secrétariat du Père Noël website.
