This is the fifth consecutive year city clerk-treasurer Christy York and her staff, with assistance from other volunteers, have accepted letters on Santa’s behalf and made sure the letters received are responded to.

“Everyone dropping a letter off in Santa’s special mailbox needs to make sure there is a return address on it so they’ll get Santa’s response,” York said. 

Every letter with a legible return address gets a response from Santa, as well as a small gift of some kind. Letters should be received by Dec. 9 in order to guarantee a response. 

“We try to personalize the response letters as well as we can based on each child’s requests,” she added.

York said the stationary and postage involved amounts to about $2 per response letter and donations to help offset that cost are welcomed. Anyone wishing to donate may do so by mailing a check or money order to New Castle Clerk-Treasurer Christy York, 227 N. Main St., New Castle, IN 47362. Be sure to write “Santa letters” in the memo line. Donations may also be dropped off at York’s office on the first floor of the municipal building.

The cost for the small gift included in each response is covered by Mayor Greg York’s promotional budget, which also helps pay for the eggs used during the city’s annual Easter egg hunt in the spring.

Last year, 523 reply letters were mailed to local children. York said the kids are always excited to hear from Santa.

“It’s probably one of the most appreciated things we do,” York said. “I get a lot of positive feedback on Facebook and from people just coming in, calling in or telling staff what a neat thing they think it is.”

In other Christmas-related news, the New Castle Board of Works has given the OK for a local church to conduct a 12th Night Christmas tree burning ceremony.

John Miller, representing First Christian Church, 2000 Bundy Ave., asked for and was granted permission to conduct the tree burning the night of Jan. 6, 2017, on church grounds.

Last year was the first time in a number of years such a program was held locally and Miller said as many as 200 people attended the event.

Mayor York made the motion to approve Miller’s request.

Last year, the mayor said the program not only helps foster a local holiday tradition and bring people together, it also saves the city the funds necessary to collect and dispose of the dozens of trees people disposed of by earmarking them for the burning ceremony.

Additional details about what’s planned will be featured in a future edition of The Courier-Times.