Canada Post Replies to 1 Million Santa Letters Every Year

If you've ever wondered whether Santa actually reads his mail, Canada has the answer: absolutely yes. Each year, more than one million letters flood into Canada Post addressed to Santa Claus, North Pole, H0H 0H0—and every single child gets a reply.

The postal code itself is genius. H0H 0H0 looks like Santa's signature laugh written in Canadian postal code format. It's so iconic that children from over 200 countries around the world now use it to reach the big guy.

An Army of Secret Santas

Behind this massive operation are thousands of volunteers Canada Post calls "Postal Elves." These current and retired postal workers donate their time during the holidays to make sure no letter goes unanswered. At the program's peak, over 11,000 volunteers have participated in a single season.

The elves don't just crank out form letters. They reply in whatever language the child wrote in—over 40 languages including Braille. French, English, Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic—if a kid writes to Santa in it, Santa writes back in it.

From Rogue Kindness to National Institution

The program didn't start as official policy. In the early 20th century, postal workers noticed letters to Santa coming through and started answering them on their own time. It was pure volunteer compassion, completely off the books.

By 1982, Canada Post saw what was happening and made it official. The Santa Mail program was born, giving structure and resources to what had been a rogue kindness operation. Since then, over 21.8 million letters have been answered.

The program was so successful that in 1983, Canada Post formalized Santa's address and created the now-famous H0H 0H0 postal code. Before that, kids were just winging it with addresses like "Santa, North Pole" or "Santa, Canada."

No Postage Required

Here's the kicker: you don't need a stamp. Canada Post delivers letters to Santa for free. Just write the address, drop it in any mailbox, and it'll get there. This ensures that every child, regardless of their family's financial situation, can participate.

The program runs internationally too. Children from countries without their own Santa postal service can write to Canada's Santa, and they'll get a reply. It's become one of the most beloved Christmas traditions worldwide.

Even Strikes Can't Stop Santa

In 2024, a major postal strike threatened to derail the program. Over 55,000 postal workers were off the job during peak Santa season. But Canada Post made it clear: Santa's mail would still be answered. After the strike ended, volunteers worked overtime to make sure every letter received a response, even if it arrived late.

The commitment is absolute. Whether a child writes in November or slips a letter in on Christmas Eve, if it reaches H0H 0H0, it gets answered. That's over 40 years of unbroken replies, economic downturns, pandemics, and labor disputes be damned.

So yes, Virginia, Santa reads his mail. And in Canada, he writes back—in your language, with no postage required, powered by thousands of volunteers who believe every child deserves a little magic at Christmas.