Only town named for Santa Claus

Unique Holiday Postmark Available December 1

SANTA CLAUS, IN—The local Post Office began offering a unique “picture postmark” today for customers to cancel postage stamps on holiday mail this year.

A unique picture postmark has been offered at the only Post Office in the world with the Santa Claus name each holiday season since 1983.

Each year’s unique postmark is designed by a local high school art student as part of an annual contest. 

Anna Harpenau, a Heritage Hills High School 2008 graduate, was the winner of this year’s competition. She is currently attending Indiana State University.

“The holiday postmark has become one of the most popular in the nation over the past two decades,” said Santa Claus Postmaster Marian Balbach. “Postal patrons world-wide request the picture postmark.  Also, many customers traditionally drive hundreds of miles to personally obtain the cancellation on their holiday mail.”

The Santa Claus Postmaster expects 500,000 pieces of mail to come through her post office between Nov. 15 and Dec. 20. An average of ,13,000 pieces of mail are processed each month in Santa Claus , during the rest of the year.

Balbach offered these guidelines for anyone interested in having the unique cancellation on their holiday mail.

• Allow at least a two-inch by four-inch space in the stamp area for the picture postmark;
• Have postage applied to cards or letters before bringing or mailing them to the post office;
• Customers who wish to have the Santa Claus Post Office mail Christmas cards should package them—with postage stamps affixed—in a sturdy envelope or box, and mail to: Postmaster, Santa Claus Station, Santa Claus, IN 47579-9998;
• The picture postmark is available on working days between today and Dec. 24;
• The picture postmark must be requested by the postal customer;
• In order to ensure a good postmark imprint please do not enclose large or bulky items in your holiday mail (i.e.; reindeer food, snow flakes, glitter, stickers, etc.);
• There is no charge for postmarking—however there is a limit of 50 picture postmarks (hand cancellations) per person per day.