Although Santa Claus is busily preparing to leave the North Pole in less than a week to make his Christmas deliveries, Clanton Post Office clerk Rena Crumpton said he is still reading handwritten letters mailed to him.

“We have gotten about seven or eight letters just this morning addressed to Santa Claus at the North Pole,” Crumpton said Wednesday. “Although I’m sure Mrs. Claus and the elves are having to read a lot of the letters being sent to him right now, I’m sure he is reading them all.”

In an age where technological devices make everything seem instant, Crumpton said there is still something magical about mailing Santa Claus a handwritten letter.

“In a letter, you can add personal touches you wouldn’t necessarily be able to add in a text message or an e-mail,” Crumpton said. “Plus, if you write Santa Claus a letter there is always the possibility that he will write you back.”

Crumpton said throughout her years working at the post office handwritten letters to Santa Claus are still one of the most popular things to do during the Christmas holiday.

“Typically, we start seeing letters mailed to the North Pole right after Thanksgiving,” Crumpton said. “I think it is important for children to continue sending personal messages to Santa because he enjoys reading them and there is nothing quite like writing a letter to send all the way to the North Pole.”

Crumpton said for those interested in constructing a letter to send, to make sure and place a stamp on the outside of the letter as well as a signature at the bottom of the letter to let Santa know who the letter is coming from.

Although there aren’t many days left to mail the letters to the North Pole, Crumpton said there is still time to mail a letter and have it delivered. Although Crumpton said there are no guarantees, anyone who writes a letter might receive a response from the North Pole.

Crumpton said she has heard from some of the children who bring their letters to the post office to be mailed and the most popular question asked of the jolly man dressed in a red suit is what kind of cookies he would like waiting for him when he visits various houses on Christmas Eve.

“Some people really want to know if he truly likes cookies and milk waiting on him or if he would like something else,” Crumpton said.

Crumpton said another popular style in constructing a letter is colorful drawings of reindeer, depictions of what the North Pole might look like and Santa himself.

“I think it is wonderful to see so many letters coming in during the holidays,” Crumpton said. “Seeing the time spent from children who have taken the time to write a letter brings a lot of joy to the holidays and I’m sure Santa is tickled to have them.”