!SOS!
WE'VE LOST SANTA
When we were children, we believed someone was listening.
As adults, we stopped asking.
This isn’t about Santa.
It’s about believing again; in wonder, softness, and in yourself.
Writing is healing.
So this year, allow the simple act of writing a letter to reconnect you with the inner child that still hopes, still dreams, and still deserves magic.
Let’s bring back the joy and whimsy together - and who knows.. we might actually find Santa again!
Any adult, of any age, anywhere, around the world can participate. There are many "Letters to Santa" campaigns for kids, so we would like to focus this on adults only. However, if you want to make a kid(s) around you feel included, you can send in their letter along with yours!
We are writing not only 'cause it's “cute”, but 'cause it's also profoundly human. This is a therapeutic exercise disguised as nostalgia, rooted in expressive writing and self-reflection.
Most adults don’t feel seen. We spend years taking care of others, fulfilling roles, managing bills, but rarely stop to ask ourselves what we want anymore.
Our goal is to make you feel part of a shared, collective ritual of hope disguised as play so you can:
Reflect on the year you have had.
Re-author your current narrative on life.
Let go and surrender control through an external "Santa".
Be playful, creative and imaginative (parts of narrative inner child work).
Practice being vulnerable safely and share social empathy with others doing the same.
Put words to your inner world, desires or grief.
Release some emotional weight.
Become a part of a bigger movement!
Basically, if you’ve forgotten how to look for magic, start here.
Option 1: Write a digital letter(s) via our online form below (you can choose to receive a response / be anonymous and/or indicate your preferred level of confidentiality in sharing on our socials). You can send it in all the way until Christmas!
Option 2: Physical Mail
It's time to dust off that letter writing stationery set they said you'd never use..
Write your letter(s) and mail it off to whichever address is closest to you:
Letter for Santa
Centre for Self-Discovery
1771 Robson Street - PO Box 1189
Vancouver, BC, Canada, 6G3B7
Ph: +1 7788479781
(Please ensure it reaches this address no later than December 23, 2025.)
OR
Letter for Santa
Centre for Self-Discovery
C-15, First Floor,
Sector-6, Noida, UP, India, 201301
Ph: +91 99994 20293
(Please ensure it reaches this address no later than December 18, 2025.)
Please don't forget to clearly indicate the level of privacy and response you prefer:
1. I want / don't want a response.
If you want a a handwritten response, please send an extra envelope with your return address and the required postage, otherwise include your email address for a digital response.
2. I give / do not give permission to share anonymized contents of my letter on your site/socials.
If you want your letter to be completely confidential (remain unopened and sealed) please indicate that on the outside of the envelope. This option is not possible for digital letter submissions.
This is up to you! If you would like a response to your letter, please indicate so during your submission and someone from our team of mental health professionals will reply to you. You may expect a gentle listening ear, warmth, comfort, validation and insights from us (playing diligent Santa's Li'l Helpers!) but please note that this isn't mental health advice or "therapy" by any means.
If you have sent a handwritten letter and want a handwritten response, please include an envelope with your return address and necessary postage so we can mail it off to you at the earliest. If return postage is not included, we can only send an online response (please add your email address).
If you want your letter to be completely confidential and stay between Santa and you, please make sure you choose the physical mailing option and write "Confidential" on your envelope. We will respect your privacy and not open it.
Please note that our primary goal is to maintain your privacy and we only share anonymized contents of letters on social media if you have given us permission to do so.
Once we receive your letter, one of the Santa's Li'l Helpers on our team will respond to you if you have requested so.
Regardless, we will gather all the letters and are working on doing a Christmas Eve Live online event to wrap up and celebrate together! Follow us on our socials to stay updated!
Please note: We cannot mail your physical letter back to you even if you request it at a later date. We will respectfully shred/discard your letter for privacy reasons just as we ethically do with our clinical notes after the completion of the event.
That’s completely okay, most of us don’t.
Here's a reflection prompt from Founder & Therapist, Shivani: If this Christmas Eve, Santa chose to make all your wishes come true, and grant you your very best life, what would you notice has changed when you wake up? What would that look like for you?
Use this if you like, but you don't have to. These letters can be wishes, confessions, dreams, rants, a thank-you, a goodbye, or general reflections. There’s no wrong way to write your letter, only your way. You can write as your current self or your younger self. If it’s been a while since you allowed ourselves to wish for something without a reason, start by putting a list down like we used to when we were little!
Think of this letter as a small conversation between you and the part of you that believes someone out there is listening, one who can make magic happen!
Here are some other ways others have started their letters:
“Dear Santa, remember me? I used to ask you for…”
“Dear Santa, I miss the version of me who…”
“Dear Santa, please help me forgive myself.”
“Dear Santa, I’ve forgotten how to believe in good things, but this year I want to remember…”
“Dear Santa, if you could send me one thing I can’t buy, I’d ask for…”
“Dear Santa, I’m tired of pretending that I’m okay about…”
“Dear Santa, I’m writing this because I don’t know who else to tell that…”
“Dear Santa, thank you for…”
“Dear Santa, I’m letting go of…”
You can start with one line. You can write a single word. Even that counts as showing up for yourself.
Please do not mail us any objects with the letter as our mailbox is unable to receive it. Anything that discreetly fits within a flat letter envelope is okay (example, art).
For online submissions, if you see an attachment button, feel free to attach a link/document/photo (we strongly encourage art reflections)!
If you want your letter to remain completely confidential (remain unopened and sealed) and stay between Santa and you, please make sure you choose the physical mailing option and write "Confidential" outside on your envelope. We will respect your privacy and not open it. We give you this option in case you want to practice emotional "letting go" or still want to be a part of this movement.
This option is not possible for digital letter submissions. You can choose to not have a response to your online letter.
Please note that our primary goal is to maintain your privacy but since this is a group campaign and a team effort there may be circumstances where we cannot guarantee a 100% internal, logistical confidentiality and/or in case of safety concerns.
We only share anonymized contents of letters on social media if you have given us permission to do so.
The best way you can help is by spreading the word! Please follow the journey and share it on your socials with the hashtag #DearSantaItsBeenAWhile.
You may also donate to our project here with an amount of your choice (this is in INR, although you can pay with any international payment method or currency at check-out).
If you have an idea to collaborate or partner with us, email us at info@centreforselfdiscovery.org.
