The quick answer: International Elf Service Elf letters are handcrafted, high quality, personalised letters from the North Pole, the magical partner to a letter from Father Christmas or Santa, loved by over 2 million readers and now a cherished Christmas tradition for families across the UK. Each one carries your child(ren)’s name(s) and tells a story from the Elves’ Workshop. Families love them because they create magical memories, give children real reading practice, and are wonderfully easy: no Elf staging, and you don’t even need an Elf.
If you’ve ever stood in the kitchen late at night wondering where on earth to put the Elf, this post is for you.
At International Elf Service, we have been writing Elf letters for families for over 13 years and counting. Here is why so many readers keep coming back to them, and how to start your own tradition this Christmas.
What are Elf letters?
An Elf letter is a handcrafted, exceptional quality paper letter from the North Pole, written as part of a story and addressed to your child. Each one carries your child(ren)’s name(s), and the rest of the letter is storytelling: an immersive peek at what the Elves have been up to in the Workshop.
We make single and story-based letters, like our Luxury Magical Advent Calendar 2026, unfold one chapter at a time through December, or smaller sets such as a our News bundle … and an Activity bundle that gives younger children things to do, read and explore. Every letter bundle includes a personalised certificate.
How are Elf letters different from letters from Father Christmas or Santa?
Elf letters are written by the Elves, the busy helpers who live and work in the North Pole Workshop. Whether your family says Father Christmas or Santa, the magic is the same: a letter that arrives from the North Pole with your child’s name on it.
Many families enjoy letters from Father Christmas or Santa alongside their Elf letters. The Elves tell the day-to-day story of what is happening in the Workshop, so the excitement builds all the way to the big night.
Why do families enjoy Elf letters?
They are a cherished Christmas tradition
With over 2 million readers, Elf letters have become a cherished part of Christmas for families who open them year after year. Traditions don’t have to be elaborate to last. A letter waiting beside the breakfast bowl is simple, familiar and something children look forward to long before December arrives.
They create magical memories
Picture the first morning of December. Before anyone has asked for breakfast, there is a letter waiting. It might be tucked into a shoe, or peeping out from under a pillow, with your child’s name on the front.
Your child tears it open, you read it together, still in pyjamas, and you find out what the Elves have been up to. Then tomorrow, it happens again. Small daily moments like these are the magical memories children carry into adulthood.
They get children reading
Every Elf letter is a short story written to be read and enjoyed, and because it is addressed to your child, they are eager to read it. That makes Elf letters lovely reading practice that never feels like homework.
Little ones can listen and follow along as you read together. Growing readers can take the lead and read aloud to the family. Confident readers can devour the letter alone, then reread it. A letter a day through December adds up to a month of happy reading.
They are easy: no Elf staging, and you don’t need an Elf
Your part is wonderfully simple:
- Keep the parcel hidden until the end of November
- Each day, pop a dated letter into an envelope
- Leave it where your children will find it
That is it. No elaborate Elf scenes, no late-night staging, and you don’t even need an Elf. If you love the idea of Elf magic but not the nightly effort, Elf letters are made for you.
It’s a story, not a scoreboard
There is no naughty or nice list at International Elf Service. Our letters are about wonder, not behaviour, so December stays a time for stories and togetherness rather than pressure.
This year’s Advent Calendar story features a crash-landed sleigh, a mysterious Ice Tree and Marty the Elf’s potion gone wrong. Along the way there are secret codes, Emergency Pyjama Meetings and daily acts of kindness, building to a Christmas Eve Disco Sleepover Party.
Every child’s name can be included
One Elf Advent Calendar is all a family needs. We squeeze as many of your children’s names onto it as we can, so brothers, sisters and cousins can share in the same story. Because the story is designed to be read aloud, the Advent Calendar can also be bought for a class, so a teacher can read it to the whole group.
Handcrafted, high quality and made to keep
In a world of screens, a handcrafted paper letter that arrives in an envelope feels special. Children can hold it, reread it and keep it. It also gives parents a lovely reason to put the phone down for a few minutes at the start of the day.
Grown-ups love them too
Many of the adults who buy Elf letters tell us the same thing: reading them brings back the feeling of being a child at Christmas. If you grew up checking for signs of the North Pole, you may find you enjoy the letters almost as much as the children do.
How do Elf letters work?
- Order your Elf letters. Choose a story-based Advent Calendar, an activity bundle, or a single letter, and add your children’s names.
- Keep the parcel hidden. It arrives well before December, so tuck it somewhere safe.
- Start on the evening of 30 November. For the Advent Calendar, pop the first dated letter into an envelope, ready for their first December morning.
- Hide one letter each evening. Leave it where your children will find it the following day.
- Read together. Spend a few lovely minutes discovering what has been happening at the North Pole.
Where should you hide your Elf letters?
Half the fun is the hunt. Some favourite spots:
- In a shoe by the front door
- Peeping out from under a pillow
- Beside the breakfast bowl
- Tucked into a school bag or coat pocket
- Propped against the bathroom mirror
Change it up each day, or let the letter turn up in the same special place every morning. Either way, the surprise is the point.
What is the difference between Elf letters and a Visiting Christmas Elf?
A visiting Elf is a toy that needs moving to a new spot every night. Elf letters are a story that arrives on paper, with nothing to remember to set up late at night, and you don’t need an Elf at all. Some families use both, and some choose letters on their own because they want the magic without the nightly workload. There is no wrong answer.
Which Elf letters are right for your family?
- A daily story through December: the Luxury Magical Advent Calendar lets a personalised story unfold, one Elf letter at a time. (Different story and illustrations to last year!).
- Something shorter and more playful: our 7-letter News (5-99 yrs) and 7-letter Activity (3-4 yrs) bundles are full of things to do, read and explore.
- A little extra fun: our North Pole Newspapers are double-sided sheets that can be read, enjoyed and then used as wrapping paper!
Elf letters: frequently asked questions
How many people have read Elf letters?
Over 2 million readers have enjoyed Elf letters from International Elf Service, which is why they have become such a cherished Christmas tradition for so many families.
Do Elf letters help children with reading?
They give children a real reason to read. Each letter is a short, exciting story addressed to them, which makes for lovely reading practice. Little ones can follow along as you read together, and growing readers can read aloud to the family.
Do I need a physical Elf to use Elf letters?
No. You don’t need an Elf, any props or any staging. Elf letters work perfectly well on their own.
Are Elf letters the same as letters from Father Christmas or Santa?
Elf letters are written by the Elves from the North Pole Workshop, and they work beautifully alongside letters from Father Christmas or Santa. Whichever name your family uses, children get the same thrill of a letter from the North Pole arriving with their name on it.
When should I order Elf letters?
The sooner the better for the Advent Calendar, so everything arrives in time to hide the parcel before the story begins on 30 November.
Is each Elf letter personalised?
Yes, with your child’s name at the top of each letter. The rest of each letter is storytelling, an immersive adventure from the North Pole that every child in the family can share.
Can I include more than one child?
Yes. One Advent Calendar can include all of your children’s names, so everyone shares in the same story.
Can a teacher use Elf letters with a class?
Yes. Because the Advent Calendar story can be read aloud to a group, it can be bought for a family or a class.
Do Elf letters include a naughty or nice list?
No. There is no naughty or nice list at International Elf Service. The letters are about the magic of Christmas, not behaviour.
Are Elf letters just for children?
They are written for children, but plenty of grown-ups enjoy the nostalgia too.
Start your family’s Elf letter tradition
Christmas magic doesn’t have to be elaborate to be unforgettable. A handcrafted letter by the breakfast bowl, a few minutes of reading together and a story that grows through December can become the tradition your family looks forward to every year, just as over 2 million readers already do.
Ready to take a peek? Explore the Luxury Magical Advent Calendar at and sign up to our newsletter for 15% off your first order.
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Feature photo by Lisa @LittleBeanies_Travel
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