Parents, listen up, 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 letter boxes are so freaking cute, you may not be able to help yourself.
This collection of Santa letter boxes is sponsored by Bayfair Center. Bayfair also has a Christmas Tree Lot, holiday backdrops for family photos, and a holiday photo contest.
Find specially marked Santa Claus letterboxes in the East Bay
Macy’s @ Bayfair Center, San Leandro
Help make a child’s wish come true! Macy’s is running their Believe Santa Letter program and for every letter you drop in the big red letterbox at Macy’s or send in online, Macy’s will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish (up to $1 million), to create life-changing wishes for children all across the country. The web link includes a downloadable template for letters. The big red letterbox at Macy’s Bayfair is located on level one by cosmetics at the Entry 1 entrance by Ulta & DSW. Find your nearest hot chocolate at the Starbucks drive-thru.
Bayfair Center, 15555 East 14th Street, San Leandro
Fairyland, Oakland
A visit to Fairy Winterland includes access to a letter collection box for Santa Claus in the little chapel. Make your plan for Fairy Winterland. Admission fees apply, but the letter drop is free.
Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave, Oakland
Christmas Tree Lane, Alameda
Beginning Dec. 5 through Dec. 24, children can find the mailbox for Santa Claus in the median of Christmas Tree Lane in Alameda. No charge. 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
Fourth Street, Berkeley
Fourth Street plans to have 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 will receive a reply from Santa’s Elves! No charges. Details here. A second Fourth Street location is at 5 Little Monkeys (see next entry)
1776 Fourth Street, Berkeley
5 Little Monkeys Toys & Gifts (3 East Bay locations)
Each Five Little Monkeys Toys & Gifts location has a North Pole Mailbox, and masked elves promise to deliver your letter.
1240 Solano Ave., Albany
1810 Fourth Street, Berkeley
1364 North Main Street, Walnut Creek
Orchard Nursery, Lafayette
On the front porch, look for a special post box for any children who wish to send letters to the Big Guy. Details here. Close to the Lafayette Reservoir for playtime.
4010 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Lafayette
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 personalized 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 letter boxes is sponsored by Bayfair Center. Bayfair also has a Christmas Tree Lot, holiday backdrops for family photos, and a holiday photo contest.
xxx
