One of my prized possessions is a letter that I wrote to my Grandmother when I was 6yrs old. I thanked her for giving me 20cents and said I was saving it to buy my Mum a new handbag because I had noticed that the strap on her bag was broken.
It always makes me smile when I read it.

My kids did used to write letters to Santa. And they got replies! They both know how to write letters and are very eloquent at it

We learnt to write letters at primary school – I can’t remember what year. I looked on it as writing what I had done or was going to do. It was my way of telling somebody else about it. I had to write letters at work. My boss used to read them, sometimes there were minor changes. Writing was considered to be a draft. Even though we do so much on computer these days we still need the skills to physically write, I realise now learning to write letters was a step towards writing essays, and later doing assignments.

My Daughter has written to Santa the last 3 year’s she mighten remember the first 2 years But I wrote them for her and kept the reply’s for her But she put alot of effort into her last letter to Santa and she couldn’t wait for the reply which she got and was over the moon about when it came. I really think people should write letters more often to eachother instead of Emails – texting – and other electronic ways. Even the post office is only going to start delivering mail every 2 days where we live. And they are putting the price of stamps up to a dollar. Electronic things are killing a great tradition of simply picking up a pen and writing to eachother. Come on people let’s get back to a simple but great way to communicate to eachother

It is sad that letter writing is a lost skill.

Its so sad that kids these days will rarely get a letter in the mail, it seems this form of communication is on the way out. I use to love checking the letter box as a kid and was elated if I actually got a letter. Love the idea of sending your child a personalised letter from Santa and will be doing this as soon as my son is old enough.

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  • • mom94125 replied
    • 06 Jan 2016 , 6:09 pm

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  yeah times sure are changing! i think that it is good to get your child a pen pal

Letter writing is wonderful and kids need to always be encouraged to write letters.

This is very true and writing letters to Santa allows the child to use ideas and more creative thinking before putting pen to paper. These days written English is so important and my kids were constantly taught at school from day 1 how imagination and expressing words correctly made a difference in good or bad in the English language. They may as well start early .

Being able to write letters is such an important skill – like your ideas around this – thanks!

I used to have pen pals when I was younger and miss them today – no-one has time to write a real snail mail letter these days. Even the amount of Christmas cards is getting less and less each year. As wonderful as the internet is to all of us, there sometimes comes a time, when the net is too hard to manage as we age, and if not for a letter or card in the mail one loses contact with old and loved friends. Even a phone call is too hard as hearing disappears. So I do hope that the art of writing to Santa [and others] will not be lost to our children and great grandchildren.

I totally agree and I worry that writing will be a lost art. I still encourage my son to write but there are less opportunities now where is required to. School is all about the iPad, but thankfully he’ll still write me notes at home.

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  • • mom93821 replied
    • 31 Dec 2015 , 6:07 am

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  Good to take as many opportunities as possible to write at home. Diaries and journals are good for writing too.

I agree letter writing is important for children’s development.

My kids write Santa letters at school and are excited about it. We don’t do it at home, but I do have them writing every day in a journal. It’s good for their writing and reading and helps to put thoughts into words. It also enables them to look back on their day / week and see what lovely things they’ve done and fill their hearts with thankfulness. And of course once they’re old and read back in their journals, they’ll love it.