Who actually answers the thousands of letters sent to Santa each year?
Santa’s Elves, Inc.

With Santa’s busy schedule, who actually answers the thousands of letters sent to him each year? There is a small army of people in CLV who answer these hundreds of letters each year.

In 1914, Postmaster James Martin answered the first letter to Santa, starting a long tradition of Santa Claus residents responding to hopeful children.

While in the Navy in World War I, Jim Yellig played the role of Santa. During the war he made a promise to God that if God helped him get back home, he would play the role of Santa forever. Yellig answered letters to Santa upon his return from the war. Yellig soon asked Roy Fenn from Tell City to help.

The number of letters grew larger each year and then a series of features in Ripley’s Believe it or Not substantially increased the number of letters received. Yellig and Fenn enlisted the help of the American Legion and the “40 et 8” organization in 1939. Both groups continue to help with postage and letter answering to this day.

Postmaster Mary Ann Long, resident Mabel Ryan and attorney Clarence Price formed Santa’s Elves, Inc. in 1974 so that donations could be accepted to help pay the postage costs. Koch Development donates the letters and envelopes each year while many Santa Claus residents, including the CLV Garden Club donate their time in answering each letter received. Around 30 to 40 people help each year with answering the letters to Santa.

If you are interested in becoming one of Santa’s Elves please call Pat Koch at 937-5247.