Thousands of letters are answered by Santa's elves in the Christmas town.

During the Christmas season, children worldwide send letters to Santa, but in Santa Claus, Indiana, volunteers act as Santa's elves to guarantee every child receives a response.

Due to the existence of another town named Santa Fe in Indiana, this small town's request for city status was denied, despite locals' initial plans to call it "Santa Fee."

The tradition of responding to letters addressed to Santa Claus has been ongoing for many years.

This year, volunteers anticipate an increase in the number of letters received, with an estimated 25,000 letters expected to arrive.

Nearly a century, the town's post office has been receiving letters addressed to Santa Claus, Indiana, despite its small size.

For years, volunteers have responded to those letters, providing personalized replies to each child.

The town's post office, established in 1856, is one of its oldest structures.

Since she was 12 years old, Pat Koch, the town's "Chief Elf" at the Santa Claus Museum and Village, has been involved in the effort.

After returning from World War I, my father visited the postmaster in Santa Claus, only to discover that he was overwhelmed with mail and letters from children.

Thousands of letters are being sorted, read, and replied to with the help of "elves" as a team effort today.

The original post office is still at the heart of this process.

In the building's backroom, the magic of Santa is kept alive year-round.

Koch stated that it is amazing that children still believe, despite the influence of social media, TV, movies, and other factors.

The museum exhibits correspondence from the 1930s, including letters penned by international children.

While some letters are filled with joy, others reflect more challenging circumstances.

"We receive numerous sad letters. Last week, a mature child wrote, 'I hope my mom gets drug tested.' That's truly heartbreaking. All we can respond with is 'Santa is hoping your mother gets better,'" Koch stated.

It's crucial to respond to every letter during Christmas to bring joy to children in any circumstances, as she stated.

At the Santa Claus Museum and Village, elves accept letters to Santa year-round at this address.

Santa Claus P.O. Box 1 Santa Claus, IN 47579

One of the world's first amusement parks, Splashin' Safari (formerly known as Santa Claus Land), is located in the town itself.

The area boasts Christmas-themed shops, restaurants, and a year-round grocery store that captures the holiday spirit.