He’s making a list – and checking it twice.
And Santa will try to answer the requests for presents, from those both “naughty” and “nice,” which he receives from children in his Ocean Beach “Letters for Santa” mailbox.
The OB Yuletide mailbox was sponsored once again this year by Ocean Beach Business Center. Santa’s address at the North Pole hasn’t changed. But OBBC has, with the business center having moved at the end of this year from 4876 Santa Monica Ave. to the popular indoor mall at 4967 Newport Ave., suites 10 and 12
In recent years, husband-and-wife team Jo and Chris Peregoy, co-owners and operators of OBBC, have set up a “Letters for Santa” mailbox in front of their place of business.
“Santa drops off his mailbox every year right after Thanksgiving,” noted Jo Peregoy adding, “Since he vacations in OB, he leaves his box to collect all the letters from the kids of OB. He takes the letters back to the North Pole with him, and responds back to each child, so long as the letters are in the mailbox before Dec. 10. Santa writes his response letter, stamps the envelope with his official North Pole stamp, and sends the letter back to each child, to be received before Christmas.”
Added Jo Peregoy: “Santa wants us to be sure we include a return address so that he can send back his letters. Santa’s mailbox will be available all the way up until Christmas for those wanting to send their letters, understanding that any letters dropped off after Dec. 10 may not receive an official Santa response in time for Christmas.”
And how has this year’s Letters for Santa response been compared to past years?
“Much more turnout this year,” replied Peregoy. “We have over 200 letters received at this point. Word has definitely gotten out and the response has been amazing. People from all ages and walks of life have come and sent a letter to Santa.”
Peregoy noted she and Chris donate the pre-printed letter paper and envelopes, plus the stamps for mailing. “So, we are always open for donations to the cause and/or volunteers to help mail out all the letters,” she said.
The Peregoy’s Letters for Santa mailbox started out small and makeshift and has been evolving, getting larger ever since.
“At first we had a large Amazon box that we used that we spray painted to look like a mailbox,” said Jo Peregoy noting OB Town Council came to their rescue at the start after “hearing our pleas for raising funds for a legitimate mailbox, and they made a donation to help get this program going, to which we’re very thankful to them for the box.”
In explaining why Santa has an OB postal outlet, Jo said: “The running story we tell people is that Santa has a vacation home in OB, and we’re his local mailbox because we have mailboxes. So he picks up his mail here, and he writes letters from here so that way they have a local stamp.”
Some letters for Santa this year:
Santa,
Thank you for all that you do! I have one question. How do you deliver all the gifts in one night?
I would like the books The Wild Robot and the Wild Robot escapes.
Love,
Arianna Diaz
Dear Santa,
I was very good this year. I went to India by myself. I took care of my sister. Can I please have a blue iPad for Christmas? Thank you. My name is Avish.
I live in San Diego. I promise to be a good kid next year.
Love Avish to Santa.