Letters From Santa gives kids a personalized response

Mailing a letter to Santa is easy enough at Christmas. Getting one back takes a bit more magic.

But elves are moonlighting at the U.S. Postal Service this season, and a reply to your child’s letter comes complete with a North Pole postmark.

How can you make happen?

Parents, here’s the process broken into five easy steps.

1. Have your child write a letter to Santa and place it in an envelope addressed to: Santa Claus, North Pole.

2. Later, when alone, open the envelope and write a personalized response.

3. Insert the response letter into an envelope, address it to the child and add the return address: Santa, North Pole.

4. Affix a stamp to the envelope — a holiday image, naturally.

5. Place the complete envelope into a larger envelope — preferably a Priority Mail Flat it ity Shoppe, 138 Market St. Walking tours through downtown, ghost hunts through University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Citizens Cemetery, 7: 30 nightly. $ 15.95 adults, $ 10 ages 12 and younger. 423- 821-7125. CHATTANOOGA MARKET — Season has closed at First Rate envelope — with appropriate postage and address it to: North Pole Postmark Postmaster, 4141 Postmark Drive, Anchorage, AK 99530-9998.

Letters From Santa requests must be received by the Anchorage postmaster no l ater t han Thursday, Dec. 15. Santa’s helpers at the Postal Service will take care of the rest.

TIPS

› To save paper, write Santa’s response on the back of your child’s letter. If you keep them together, your child will be able to recall what he or she wrote.

› When responding as Santa, make the response as personal as possible by highlighting your child’s accomplishments over Tennessee Pavilion. Indoor Holiday Market debuts in December at Chattanooga Convention Center, 1150 Carter St. Open 10 a. m.-5 p. m. Saturdays, Dec. 3, 10, 17; 11 a. m.-5 p. m. Sundays, Dec. 4, 11, 18. Free admission. www.chattanoogamarket. com. CHRISTMAS AT THE CRAVENS HOUSE — Point Park, East Brow Road, Lookout Mountain. Free tours of the past year. For example: helping around the house, receiving good grades in a particular subject at school or participating in community service activities. historic 1855 home that was Union and Rebel headquarters during Civil War, 6- 8 p. m. Dec. 2-3. 423- 821-7786. CLOUDLAND CANYON STATE PARK — 122 Cloudland Canyon Park Road, Rising Fawn, Ga. 706- 657- 4050. › Friday, Nov. 25: Two- mile night hike to learn about park’s geology, enjoy trail by moonlight and listen for night sounds, 5-7 p. m. $ 10 plus $ 5 parking, ages 10 and

› Make it a Thanksgiving project when the whole family is gathered and can join in.

› Share the experience on social media using #LettersFromSanta. older. Reservations required: GeorgiaGirlGuides.com › Saturday, Nov. 26: Rock Talk and Stroll, a mile- long hike to learn park’s geology, 10: 30 a. m.- noon. $ 5 parking. › Saturday, Nov. 26: Awesome Opossums, meet the Interpretive Center’s live possums and learn about them with park naturalist, 4- 4: 30 p. m. $ 5 parking. › Sunday, Nov. 27: Beyond

The U. S. Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. The U.S. Postal Service’s Holiday Windows stamps.