How to Get a Holiday Postmark on Your Christmas Cards
Sending and receiving Christmas cards is much beloved tradition, and a wonderful part of the holiday season. How fun is it to add a fun Santa Claus holiday postmark as an extra special touch?
When I was researching how to do this, I discovered that there are several U.S. towns that have holiday names, and they will stamp your Christmas cards with their postmark, and send them on to your family & friends. How fun is that?
One in particular is Santa Claus, Indiana. They even have a competition to each year to design the holiday postmark!
The process is actually pretty easy, you just need to allow a little extra time. All you need to do is enclose all of your stamped and addressed cards in another envelope or box labeled “Christmas re-mailing”, and address it to the postmaster in any of these towns. Allow enough time for postmarking, re-mailing, and delivery.
How to Get Holiday Postmarks on Your Christmas Cards
Here is the 2020 info from Santa Claus, IN post office with all the details:
“The Santa Claus holiday postmark has become the most popular in the nation over the past two decades,” says Postmaster Marian Balbach. “Postal patrons worldwide request the picture postmark each year and many customers traditionally drive hundreds of miles to personally obtain the famous cancellation on their holiday mail.”
She asks anyone interested in getting the special cancellation on their holiday mail to follow these guidelines:
- Allow at least a 2-inch by 4-inch space in the stamp area for the picture postmark;
- Apply postage to cards or letters before bringing or mailing them to the post office;
- If you wish to mail Christmas cards to the post office, package them – with postage stamps already on them – in a sturdy envelope or box, and mail to: Postmaster, Santa Claus Station, Santa Claus, IN 47579-9998;
- The picture postmark is available on working days between December 1 and 24;
- The picture postmark must be requested by the postal customer;
- To ensure a good postmark imprint, do not enclose large or bulky items in your holiday mail (Ex: reindeer food, snowflakes, glitter, stickers, etc.);
- There is no charge for postmarking; however, there is a limit of 50 picture postmarks (hand cancellations) per person per day.
Click HERE OR HERE for a full list of holiday towns compiled by USPS.
*Originally posted in 2013. Updated in 2020.
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