Santa letter templates and examples
A blank page is the hardest part of writing to Santa. These templates give a structure to lean on — a greeting, a bit of news, the wishes and a warm sign-off — plus complete example letters for three age groups.
Copy them, change them, or use them as a starting point and then write the real letter online, seal it with wax and send it north with an elf.
The five-part structure that always works
- Greeting — "Dear Santa,"
- News — one or two lines about the year: school, a new sibling, learning to swim.
- Wishes — three to seven, each with a short reason.
- Something kind — a wish for someone else, or a thank you.
- Sign-off — "Love, [name], age [x]" and the town you live in.
Template: ages 3-5
Dear Santa, my name is ____ and I am ____ years old. This year I learned how to ____. I would like ____ and ____. Please say hello to the reindeer. Love, ____.
Example: "Dear Santa, my name is Maya and I am four years old. This year I learned how to ride a balance bike. I would like a dinosaur that roars and some sparkly stickers. Please say hello to the reindeer. Love, Maya."
Template: ages 6-8
Dear Santa, I am ____ and I am ____ years old. My favourite thing this year was ____. I have been working hard on ____. For Christmas I would love ____ because ____, and ____ because ____. I also hope my ____ gets ____. Thank you for coming every year. Love, ____.
Example: "Dear Santa, I am Noah and I am seven. My favourite thing this year was our trip to the lake. I have been working hard on reading chapter books. For Christmas I would love a magnifying glass because I want to look at bugs, and a football because ours went over the fence. I also hope my little sister gets her doll. Thank you for coming every year. Love, Noah."
Template: ages 9-12
Dear Santa, it's ____ again. This year has been ____. Here is my list, and why: 1) ____ — ____. 2) ____ — ____. 3) ____ — ____. If only one of these is possible, I'd pick ____. And if you have room, something small for ____ would mean a lot. Thanks for reading all of these. ____.
Example: "Dear Santa, it's Ella again. This year has been busy — I joined the school band and started playing the clarinet. Here is my list, and why: 1) A clarinet stand, so I stop leaving it on my bed. 2) A book about space, because we did a project on Mars. 3) New winter gloves, mine have a hole. If only one is possible, I'd pick the gloves. And if you have room, something small for my grandma would mean a lot. Thanks for reading all of these. Ella."
Tips that make a letter better
- Write it in the child's own words — spelling mistakes are part of the charm.
- Give a reason for each wish; it turns a list into a letter.
- Keep it to one page. Santa reads a lot of these.
- Include the child's age and town so the letter feels like theirs.
- Read it out loud before sealing it — children usually want to change one line.
Questions families ask
- Are these Santa letter templates free?
- Yes. Use, copy or change any of them, and writing the letter online here is free too — no account needed.
- What should a letter to Santa include?
- A greeting, a line or two of news from the year, three to seven wishes with short reasons, something kind for someone else, and the child's name and age.
- How long should a letter to Santa be?
- One page is plenty. A short letter that sounds like the child beats a long list of products.
- Can a parent write the letter for a young child?
- Yes. Many families have the child dictate the letter while a grown-up types it, which keeps the child's own wording.