‘We all need Santa’s love this year’

WASHINGTON - Kids – and adults – can now drop off letters to Santa in downtown Washington.

A new, red mailbox appeared over the weekend in Central Park.

Main Street Washington Director Sarah Grunewaldt said she wanted to create an opportunity for kids to interact with Santa during this unique year.

As a kid, she always wrote letters to Santa and dropped it off at the post office. Grunewaldt loved the tradition.

As soon as the mailbox went up in Washington's Central Park, the letters started rolling in, Grunewaldt said. As of Wednesday, they have already collected more than 50 letters and elves are processing them to send to the North Pole.

While a majority of the letters come from children, a few have been from adults, and Grunewaldt said she loves it.

Grunewaldt said there's magic in Christmas.

'We all need a little of Santa's love this year,” she said.

Unlike other dropboxes, if a letter has a return address, Grunewaldt said Santa will mail back a response.

For those who may not be able to drop off letters, they can be emailed to santa@washingtoniowa.org.

The box will be available until Dec. 21 to allow Santa time to mail letters before Christmas.