Santa Letter and Wish List for Kids

Writing a Santa letter and wish list takes about 25 minutes of craft time plus decorating. Kids write a short letter to Santa on cardstock or construction paper, list a few wishes, and decorate the page with crayons, markers, and stickers. It works for ages 3 and up, with young kids dictating their words while an adult writes.

What supplies do you need?

• 1 sheet of cardstock or construction paper per child (plus 1 spare)
• Crayons
• Markers
• Stickers
• 1 pencil and 1 eraser per child
• 1 ruler (optional, for straight wish-list lines)
• 1 envelope per child
• 1 glue stick or a roll of tape
• 1 stapler (optional, for attaching a second page)
• Newspaper or a plastic tablecloth to cover the table

How do kids write a letter to Santa?

1. Cover the table with newspaper or the plastic tablecloth. Give each child one sheet of cardstock or construction paper and set the spare sheet aside for restarts.
2. Help the child start the letter with a greeting to Santa, such as "Dear Santa." Young kids who are not writing yet can dictate the whole letter while an adult writes it in pencil first, then the child traces the words with a marker.
3. Next comes the wish list. Ask the child to name their top three or four wishes and write them as a short numbered list. A short list keeps the letter readable and gives Santa a clear idea.
4. Add one kind line at the end, like a thank you for last year's gifts or a wish for someone else. One sentence is plenty.
5. Now the decorating. Kids color a border around the edges with crayons and markers and add stickers. Keep the border off the writing area so the words stay easy to read.
6. When the page is done, the child folds it and slides it into the envelope. Seal the envelope with the glue stick or a piece of tape. Leave the letter by the fireplace, under the tree, or in the mailbox to "send" it to Santa.

What goes wrong, and how do you fix it?

The wish list gets too long. A list of twenty wishes takes forever and crowds the page. Ask for the top three or four and number them. The favorites usually come out first.

The child runs out of room. Start the writing on the top half of the page and save the bottom half for the list. If the page fills up, staple or tape the spare sheet to the back for extra wishes.

Decorating covers the writing. Set one rule before the decorating starts: the middle of the page is for words, the edges are for art. Borders, corners, and sticker snowflakes around the edges look festive without hiding a single word.

The child will not write. Dictation counts. An adult writes in pencil, and the child traces over the words with a marker. Even pre-writers can trace a few big letters with help, and tracing counts as their own writing.

The envelope will not seal. The glue stick works best on a clean flap. Press the flap down and count to 10 together. If it still will not stick, run a piece of tape along the edge instead.

Pair this with our paper chain Christmas countdown garland to count down the days after the letter goes out. Once the letter is sent, kids can make gingerbread man greeting cards for the rest of the family.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this for?

Ages 3 and up. Kids ages 3 and 4 dictate their letter and wish list while an adult writes, then do all the decorating on their own. Ages 5 and 6 who are learning to write can write a short sentence or two with help on spelling. Ages 7 and up usually write the whole letter themselves. Keep the writing short for beginners; one decorated page from a happy writer beats a cramped second page from a tired one.

How messy is it?

Very low mess. Crayons, markers, and stickers keep this one of the cleanest Christmas crafts. Cover the table with newspaper or a plastic tablecloth in case a marker presses through the cardstock. Stickers can end up stuck to the table or a child's shirt, so press each one down firmly and peel off any strays while the glue is fresh.

How long does it take?

About 25 minutes of active time: 5 minutes to set up and write the letter, 10 to 15 minutes to decorate the page, and a few minutes to fold it and seal the envelope. Young kids who dictate their letter may need a few extra minutes while the adult writes. There is no drying time, so the letter can go straight to its "mailbox" when it is finished.

Is it safe?

Yes. This is one of the safest Christmas crafts because it uses basic drawing supplies. Pencils should be adult-sharpened, and kids should keep pencil points away from their eyes and faces. An adult handles any cutting or stapling for kids under 6. Stickers are a choking hazard for children under 3, so keep them away from babies and toddlers and watch small pieces around young siblings.

Be safe and have fun!