What to write in a letter from Father Christmas

The best letters from Father Christmas mention something true about the child: a kindness they did, a thing they are learning, a pet or a friend by name. Keep it short, keep it warm, and never promise a particular present in case it does not turn up under the tree.

Most parents freeze at the blank page, which is fair enough. You are writing as someone the child has never met but trusts completely, so the letter has to sound like him and still sound like your child's actual year. Here is how to do that by age, with lines you can borrow outright.

What to write in a letter from Father Christmas for a first Christmas

A baby cannot read the letter, so it is really written for the grown-ups who will keep it. Keep the tone gentle rather than jokey.

Mention the date and the fact that this is their very first Christmas, which Father Christmas has apparently been looking forward to.

Mention something small and physical: a favourite toy, the way they laugh, a habit like grabbing at the tinsel. ‘I hear you like to grab at anything shiny, which I am reliably informed includes my beard.’

Say something to the parents through him, since they are the real reader. ‘Your mummy and daddy have had a busy year getting to know you, and I have been watching from a distance, very pleased with how it is going.’

Skip the jokes about naughty and nice lists. A baby has not done anything naughty, and it reads oddly on the page.

What to write in a letter from Father Christmas for a three to six year old

This is the age where the letter does the most work, because the child will ask someone to read it three times and then again at bedtime.

Mention a proper noun: the name of their nursery or school, a friend, a pet, a soft toy they sleep with. ‘I hear Bramble the rabbit has been very well looked after this year, which the elves noted with approval.’

Mention something they have learned to do. ‘Learning to write your own name is no small thing, and I am told you managed it without too much fuss.’

Mention a kindness rather than a list of good behaviour. ‘Sharing your biscuit with your brother when you did not have to was exactly the sort of thing that gets noticed up here.’

Keep sentences short. A six year old is often reading along, and long sentences lose them halfway through.

A line to close on: ‘Leave a mince pie out if you like, though I will not say no to a biscuit either.’

What to write in a letter from Father Christmas for a seven to ten year old

Older children start to notice if a letter feels generic, so this is where specifics matter most.

Mention something they are proud of that year: a goal scored, a spelling test passed, a part in the school play, learning to ride a bike without stabilisers. Say it plainly rather than gushing. ‘Making the school football team after two years of trying is the kind of thing that does not happen by luck.’

Mention something they are curious about, if you know it: dinosaurs, space, a particular book series, a football team. A single sharp detail beats three vague ones.

Give him a slightly knowing, warm voice rather than a purely jolly one. Children this age can tell the difference and respond better to being taken seriously. ‘I know some of your friends are starting to ask questions about how all this works. That is between you and them.’

A line that respects their age without spelling anything out: ‘You are getting to the age where you help make Christmas magic for others as much as you receive it, and that is no small job either.’

Letter from Santa ideas for what Father Christmas can mention

A proud moment from school, sport or home, named plainly rather than listed as an achievement.

A kindness the child did, especially one nobody made a fuss of at the time.

A pet, by name, with a small detail only the family would know.

A friend or sibling, mentioned warmly rather than compared to.

Something they are learning or getting better at, however small it seems to an adult.

A nod to family traditions: the Christmas Eve box, a walk on Boxing Day, a particular carol they insist on singing loudly and slightly wrong.

What to leave out of a Santa letter

A promise of a specific present. If it says a bicycle and a bicycle does not appear, that is a hard thing to explain on Christmas morning.

Anything that would sting if it turned out not to be true, such as a promise about a house move, a new pet, or a sibling.

Too much reference to a naughty list. A light touch is fine; a long list of misdeeds is not what most children want to hear from someone they admire.

Jokes that only make sense to an adult. It is tempting to slip one in for yourself, but the letter belongs to the child.

Anything that contradicts what an older sibling has already been told, if you are writing for more than one child in the house. Keep the details consistent between letters.

Letter from Santa

A letter like this says a great deal on paper, and for many families that has always been enough. What it cannot do is sound like him.

A Letter from Santa from Tap-A-Post is written to suit the child's age, the same as everything above, and sealed with gold wax. Tap the seal, or scan the code beside it if the tap is shy, and a recorded message from Father Christmas plays, with the page greeting the child by their first name. A parent or grandparent can add their own recorded message underneath, sealed until a date you choose, such as Christmas morning, while Father Christmas's message plays as soon as the letter is opened. A second child at the same address gets their own letter in the same envelope, included.

For this year's Christmas dates, check Royal Mail's website nearer the time.

How long should a letter from Father Christmas be

For most ages, half a page is plenty. Younger children lose interest in anything longer, and older children can spot padding. Two or three specific details said warmly will always beat a full page of general jolliness.

Should Father Christmas mention bad behaviour

A light, affectionate touch is fine, such as a joke about muddy shoes on the stairs. A long list of complaints is best left out, since the letter is meant to be a happy thing to keep, not a telling off with a red coat on.

Can I write one letter for two children

You can, but it reads better if each child gets their own, even if most of the wording is the same. Children compare notes, and a letter with their own name and their own detail in it means far more than a shared one.