Lump of Coal

This morning Zoe and Vincent, with my help, wrote letters to Santa.  Momma Karin isn't all the way sold on this whole idea, which resulted in this awkward exchange in front of attentive children

Karin:  So, what do you think the post office does with all these letters to Santa?
Me:  Ahem.  They deliver them to Santa up at the North Pole where he reads each and every one.
Karin:  Oh.

Go in Peace

Comments

[Stacy]

Clearly Karin has not discovered one of the greatest joys of parenting: cutting off a public tantrum with the stage whispered threat, "Santa is WATCHING!"

[Herr Mattenstein]

From the USPS:
Helping Santa Help Those in Need

While Santa receives most letters addressed to him at the North Pole, some are made available to organizations and individuals who want help those in need. Many Santa letters will be answered by a variety of Santa's helpers — charitable organizations, employees of local Post Offices and individual volunteers who want to help make children's holiday wishes come true. Contact your local Postmaster to find out how and where you can participate.

Santa’s Reply Letters – North Pole Postmark

The Postal Service is helping create holiday memories for children. Parents, guardians and other Santa’s helpers can craft a response from Santa and mail it in a second envelope to the Fairbanks, AK, Post Office. Postal elves at the nearby North Pole Post Office will open the envelopes, postmark Santa's reply letters and mail them back to the children they are addressed to.

After writing Santa's response letter, place it in a stamped envelope addressed to the intended recipient. “Santa, North Pole, Alaska,” should be included as the return address in the upper left corner of the envelope. This envelope should then be placed into a larger, properly stamped First-Class Mail or Priority Mail envelope with your correct return address and mailed to:

North Pole Christmas Cancellation
Postmaster
5400 Mail Trail
Fairbanks AK 99709-9998

North Pole postmark requests must arrive in Fairbanks, AK, before Dec. 15, 2007. Please mail your request by Dec. 10.

Customers interested in obtaining the North Pole Postmark on greeting cards should mail them to the address above, following the same directions. Please make sure that the stamped envelopes are sealed and contain cards or other inserts (empty envelopes can be damaged by high-speed sorting equipment).

[Herr Mattenstein]

http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/localnews/ca/ca_2007_1203a.htm

[Stacyone]

It's called an UPDATE.