Wild Wednesday: Celebrate The Season In America’s Christmas Hometown!

If you’re seeking a destination where holiday cheer is everywhere,  look no further than the town of Santa Claus, Indiana. Named as one of Travel Channel’s best holiday attractions, Santa Claus, Indiana is America’s Christmas Hometown. It is here, in this little town tucked within the rolling hills of Southern Indiana, where holiday traditions are embraced with joy. One of these timely traditions that unites children around the world is writing there letters to Santa Claus.

Special Delivery: The Santa Claus Holiday Postmark Adds A Special Touch To Seasons Greeting

The Santa Claus Indiana Post Office celebrates the season with a special holiday postmark contest each year. Local high school art students submit their drawings for the postmark, and this year’s winner is Shyann Smith, a senior at Heritage Hills High School, and daughter of Troy and Tammy Smith from Fulda, Indiana. “The Santa Claus holiday postmark has become the most popular in the nation,” 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.”

Here are several tips to help you add a special touch to your season’s greetings with the Santa Claus Holiday Postmark:

• Allow at least a 2-inch by 4-inch space in the stamp area for the picture postmark
• There is no charge for postmarking; however, there is a limit of 50 picture postmarks or hand cancellations per person per day.
• 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.
• To ensure a good postmark imprint, do not enclose large or bulky items in your holiday mail, which means leave out the reindeer food, snowflakes, glitter, and other items.

Festive Fun At Santa’s Candy Castle

This week kicks off a month of festive holiday events in America’s Christmas Hometown. The Santa Claus Christmas Celebration is a favorite tradition for families far and near, and includes many fun and memorable activities. Huddle together and welcome in the season with the Lighting of America’s Hometown Christmas Tree. Afterwards, sample chestnuts that are roasted on an open fire at Santa’s Candy Castle, which was the first building in Santa Claus, Indiana, and one that resembles a fairytale castle.

It was a bitter, snowy day in Mid-December of 1935 when Santa’s Candy Castle opened making it the first themed attraction in the nation. Since then, families and travelers from around the world have visited the Candy Store during the holidays to join in festive activities. Children can even log into the North Pole Network, and chat with an elf, and let Santa know what they want for Christmas. Most important, they can check to see if they’re on Santa’s Good List, and if they are, they’ll receive an official Good List Certificate to show their family and friends.

Bright Lights And Events To Join During The Santa Claus Christmas Celebration

One of our favorite activities during the holidays is a drive through the largest campground holiday light show in North America: The Santa Claus Land of Lights. There are more than 300 light display pieces at the Land of Lights display at Lake Rudolph Campground and RV Resort. Some of the displays soar as high as 30 feet tall and stretch wider than 100 feet in width. As you drive through the story of Rudolph, the Reindeer unfolds in vivid light displays with entertaining elves and, of course, Santa.

If you’re still feeling stuffed after your Thanksgiving feast, join the Annual Rudolph’s Holiday Hustle 5K Run and Walk. Save time to visit to the Santa Claus Museum and Village, where you’ll learn the story of Santa, and find plenty of holiday gifts for everyone on your list. Or, discover more gift ideas at the Santa Claus Arts and Crafts Show. The Holly Tree Christmas Shop will brighten children’s faces with activities like face painting, and they also hold Christmas woodcarving demonstrations.

Entertainment includes “Scrooge’s Christmas” at the Heritage Hills High School at Lincoln Amphitheatre. Plus, there will be plenty of opportunities to meet Santa throughout the celebration, which includes Christmas dinner at Santa’s Lodge. From chestnuts roasting on an open fire to beautiful light displays, and a jolly visit with Ol’ Saint Nick, it’s going to be a festive season.

Plan Your Visit To Santa Claus, Indiana

To explore attractions, events, and plan your trip to Santa Claus, Indiana call the Spencer County Visitors Bureau at(888) 444-9252 or visit their website.

Wild Wednesday Facts:

Did you know the town of Santa Claus was originally called Santa Fe? It’s true, but because there was another city called Santa Fe, the leaders of the town had to pick a different name. After discussing it, they came up with — you guessed it — Santa Claus!

The Santa Claus, Indiana Post Office is the only one in the world with the Santa Claus name. They  receive over 400,000 pieces of mail in December, and many of these letters are sent by children from all over the world in hopes of getting a response from Santa. All the letters sent to Santa are received by “Santa’s Elves” at the Santa Claus Museum and returned to the children with the holiday postmark. The picture postmark is available on working days between December 1 and24, and must be requested by the postal customer, so be sure to include your request.

Believe it or not, Robert Ripley featured the town’s post office in his nationally-syndicated “Believe It or Not” newspaper cartoon in 1929. Afterwards, the post office was flooded with over a million pieces of mail and helped make  Santa Claus, Indiana America’s Christmas Hometown.

And, if you’ve ever wondered what happens to all that Fruitcake no one wants during the holidays? They save it for events like the International Fruitcake Eating Championship at Santa’s Candy Castle!

Have you visited Santa Claus, Indiana?