Thanks to generous sponsorship from Bench & Board and a group of dedicated volunteers the Letters to Santa Mailbox returns for another year of holiday delight.

 

Edmonds’ best kept holiday secret – the “Letters to Santa” mailbox is installed. The annual Letters to Santa program is coordinated by the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce, sponsored this year by one of Edmonds’ newest businesses, Bench & Board, and run by a dedicated group of local volunteers who spend dozens of hours writing and sending replies.

Each year the popularity of the Chamber’s Letters to Santa program grows. In 2020 over 1,700 letters were received and replied to – 500 more than in 2019! The mailbox is located at 5th Ave N. & Bell St. – in front of the Log Cabin Visitor’s Center in downtown Edmonds. The deadline to drop off a letter and receive a response is Thursday, Dec. 16th, which is earlier this year in anticipation of potential USPS delays. Only letters with legibly written return addresses receive replies.

“We are so grateful to the group of volunteers who spend so much of their precious holiday free time responding to these letters. The program wouldn’t exist if not for them and the generous sponsorship of Bench & Board, which helps cover the cost of stamps and supplies. It is these individuals and businesses in our community who promote the positive, loving aspects of An Edmonds Kind of Day.” – Alicia Moreno, Edmonds Chamber of Commerce.

Need to know before dropping off a letter:

  • Return address must be legible on the child’s letter to receive a response.
  • Child’s name needs to be clearly printed or it will be addressed to “my dear friend”.
  • Return times may vary – even by household. The volunteer elves try to respond in the order they come in, but the elves work at different paces as their own lives allow. PLEASE BE PATIENT.
  • To get a child’s original letter back: include a stamped envelope with return address and a note requesting it back.
  • Please note: the elves do not address a child’s gift request to respect caregiver’s choices and financial situations.
  • Each elf creates a few original story templates for reply letters to get through the hundreds received. For more personalized responses kiddos can ask questions, or a caregiver can sneak in a note about what the child has done that year.
  • PLEASE BE PATIENT AND PRACTICE KINDNESS: this is run entirely by volunteers who put their love and free time into making it happen. They do not get paid and do it for the love of Christmas and delight.
  • The elves love seeing reaction photos/videos! When they are hundreds of letters deep it helps keep the magic alive for them too! These can be sent to alicia@edmondswa.com
  • This is the ONLY mailbox run by the Chamber. There may be others around town, but they are not associated with the Chamber.

About Bench & Board, the 2021 “Letters to Santa” Sponsor: This veteran and family-owned small business opened its doors in October of 2021 and is already deeply invested in the Edmonds community. Stop by their shop at 605 Main St. for stunning home goods, décor, art and gifts. Bench & Board is also supporting the Edmonds Food Bank this holiday season by donating a portion of the proceeds from sales of their hand-made holiday wreaths. Visit www.benchandboard.com

The Edmonds Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the return of their beloved Tree Lighting Ceremony, sponsored this year by Certa Farrish Law Group.

Mark your calendars for Nov. 27th – always the Saturday after Thanksgiving. More details coming soon! www.EdmondsTreeLighting.com