Parents, lean in, I can’t say this too loudly. There are many ways to handle your children’s letters to Santa Claus and they do not all involve special mailboxes to the North Pole. Then again, those adorable specially marked letterboxes are so freaking cute, you may not be able to help yourself.
This collection of Santa letterboxes is sponsored by Fourth Street Shops in Berkeley in Berkeley. Fourth Street also has spectacular holiday lights throughout the season, puppet shows, a Winter Holiday Fest and Craft Party with Santa, plentiful shops & restaurants, and wonderful, weekend events all December long.
Find specially marked Santa Claus letterboxes in the East Bay
Fourth Street, Berkeley
Beginning November 8, 2025, Fourth Street has a special Santa mailbox near Peet’s Coffee (pick up your hot cocoa right there or walk to Artis!). You can’t miss it! Letters with a return address dropped in the box before December 16 will receive a reply from Santa Claus! No charges. Santa and the Grinch will be there with his red sleigh on 12/13 from 1-4 pm with a whole Winter Holiday Fest of wreath making, music, magic, costumed characters and crafts for all. Details here.
1776 Fourth Street, Berkeley
Christmas Tree Lane, Alameda
Throughout December, children can find the mailbox for Santa Claus in the median of Christmas Tree Lane in Alameda. No charge. And yes! You’ll get a magical letter back from Santa if you include a legible return address (as long as your letter is put in the box by December 21!) Oh, and it’s not exactly “on the way” but we like to swing by the Alameda In-n-Out for dinner and free cocoa if it is raining.
Christmas Tree Lane 3200 block of Thompson Ave, Alameda
5 Little Monkeys Toys & Gifts (8 Bay Area locations)
Each Five Little Monkeys Toys & Gifts location has a North Pole Mailbox and delivery elves. See details.
NEW: 2901 College Ave. Berkeley | 1240 Solano Ave., Albany |Â 1810 Fourth Street, Berkeley | 3527 Wilkinson Lane Lafayette |1364 North Main Street, Walnut Creek | 719A Main Street Pleasanton
Piedmont Community Hall, Piedmont
Letters to Santa at the North Pole can be dropped in a special mailbox in front of Community Hall the day after Thanksgiving and beyond. If Santa is not too busy, he will try to answer the children’s letters.
711 Highland Ave, Piedmont
Other clever ways to send your child’s mail to the North Pole
Just Keep it
Letters to Santa Claus written in a small child’s hand are almost too cute to send away. I always photograph them and I sometimes sneak them away into a special box in the back of my closet.
Just Mail it
Did you know that some of those North Pole letters sent through the USPS get answered with personalised letters and sometimes gifts? I didn’t know that. According to this article, there are thousands of volunteers who love to respond to hopeful children.
This collection of Santa letterboxes is sponsored by Fourth Street Shops in Berkeley.
