LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WKBW) — It may be hard to see Santa face to face this year, but he's still working hard to spread some Christmas cheer. He's hired helpers from across the globe to bring the Christmas spirit to you at home.
"Santa is so appreciative to have so many helpers and ways to connect with the community and the kids because he's really missing all the kids this year too," one of Santa's helpers in Lockport Parrish Gibbons Herzog said.
Around Western New York, you may have seen a few "Letters to Santa" mailboxes. And they've been planted there by Santa's helpers.
"I heard some of the elves got covid and couldn't make it out," one of Santa's helpers in the Town of Tonawanda, Lisa Brown said. "We decided to have the children write letters here, and he's gonna come and pick them up routinely and then answer them for them and send them right back to them."
Lisa Brown is one of Santa's helpers in the Town of Tonawanda, and she says people from all over have already paid her a visit.
"We've had responses from people as far as down the street from us, to the other night, I heard there was one in the mailbox from Sanborn New York which is pretty far away. So the word is getting out there. So please come and mail your letters to Santa! He will answer as soon as he can," Brown said.
But if the Town of Tonawanda is a little out of the way for you, he's also got a mailbox out in Lockport.
"This year, the Kenan Center didn't want to miss out on the tradition of the Lockport and Western New York community coming to the Kenan house gallery. So this year, to make it safe and fun, we launched the letters to Santa project mailbox," Herzog said.
Just like his other helper, drop-offs at the Kenan House will also help you get your letters to the North Pole.
"We've definitely witnessed a lot of happy drop-offs and smiles of kids even peaking in the mailbox to wonder where it goes and how the letters get to the North Pole. So it's been a really fun experience for all of us," Herzog said.
Santa will be accepting letters from the Kenan House until December 20 and in the Town of Tonawanda until December 18.
Kenan House: 433 Locust St, Lockport, NY 14094
Town of Tonawanda: 144 Irving Terr Buffalo, NY 14223
