Santa Claus Selected Special Picture Postmark For 2015 Holiday Season

Last updated on Wednesday, November 4, 2015

(SANTA CLAUS) - Santa Claus, Ind., selected its special picture postmark for the 2015 holiday season.

On Dec. 1, the post office will offer the postmark in lieu of postage stamps. Santa Claus receives more than 400,000 pieces of mail in December. That's compared to just 13,000 pieces of mail per month during the rest of the year.

The town's post office has offered a special picture postmark every year since 1983. Local high school art students submit their designs as part of an annual contest. Olivia Hitz, a freshman at Indiana University and Santa Claus native, designed this year's postmark.

"The Santa Claus holiday postmark has become the most popular in the nation over the past two decades," said 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."

The post office does have guidelines for people who want to get the special picture postmark on their mail:

Allow at least a 2-inch by 4-inch space in the stamp area for the picture postmark
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
The picture postmark is available on working days between December 1 and 24
The picture postmark must be requested by the postal customer
To ensure a good postmark imprint, do not enclose large or bulky items in your holiday mail (Ex: reindeer food, snowflakes, glitter, stickers, etc.)
There is no charge for postmarking; however, there is a limit of 50 picture postmarks (hand cancellations) per person per day

For more information, visit the Santa Claus website http://www.santaclausind.org/press-releases/

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