Visitor Center spread Christmas joy with letters from Santa

The Harrison County Visitors Center has a long running tradition of accepting letters to Santa from children in the county. They promise to pass along the letters to the North Pole but that isn’t the whole story.

Director of Tourism Janet Fenstamaker receives the letters and does something special, she makes sure Santa writes back.

“When I started in 2019, they had already been doing them and I continued it,” Fenstamaker said. “It’s important, the kids need to have a letter from Santa.”

The center gets around 20 letters each year and Fenstamaker makes sure Santa gets them early so he has time to write back, “It’s fun when I know the family or the parents write something with it.”

She said it’s helpful when parents include pet or Elf on the Shelf names, a family member’s name and relationship, or something the child is excited for is handy for Santa to create a personalized response. 

“It’s fun to add those things.”

Each letter is unique and is printed on a different letterhead each year. Local printer T. J. Mizer provides the paper each year.

Fenstamaker said it can be hard for Santa to say no but occasionally, parents include details that make it clear the child will not be receiving their coveted Christmas gift. One example is kids asking for new pets and Fenstamaker said Santa is delicate with those situations, “Santa says he’s told the elves to pack some really special surprises for them.”

Each envelope has a special return address stamp when it comes back from the North Pole and Santa personally signs each letter. The visitor’s center handles all personal information with care, never allowing anyone but Santa to access addresses and full names.

Fenstamaker enjoys the tradition, “I hope it makes the kids happy when they get their letter. I like to think it spreads some Christmas joy.”

If your child wants a letter from Santa, drop off their letter to the Visitor's Center in Cadiz before 3 p.m. Dec. 19.