KENOSHA, Wis. — A Kenosha mother, Heidi Tainter, and her 15-year-old daughter, Brooklyn, are bringing an extra dose of Christmas magic to the city this season with their brand-new Letters to Santa mailbox — a cheerful red drop-box welcoming kids’ wish lists, drawings, and Christmas hopes.

The mailbox, installed the weekend before Thanksgiving at 7927 22nd Avenue, invites children to leave their letters for Santa. Every child who includes a return address will receive a handwritten, personalized reply from “Santa and his elves,” written by Heidi and Brooklyn the very next day. Most replies arrive within a few days through USPS.

To ensure every child receives a response, the family asks parents to please make sure the child’s name and address are written clearly inside the letter itself.

Heidi and Brooklyn check the mailbox every day and personalize each response based on what the child wrote. This is their first year hosting the mailbox, but they hope it becomes a long-standing Kenosha tradition. “We want to bring as much happiness to kids as we can,” Heidi said.

There are no age limits, and kids are welcome to write as much as they want. The only request is that if a child plans to write multiple letters, they drop them all off at once so one personalized reply covers everything.

A food-donation tote is also set up near the mailbox. Donations are optional, and once enough items come in, Heidi and Brooklyn will deliver everything to the Shalom Center.

The mailbox will remain open for letters through December 18. Families who miss that deadline can still receive replies, as long as they’re comfortable with Heidi and Brooklyn personally delivering letters to home mailboxes by December 22.

There are no special events planned for this year, but the duo is already thinking about ways to expand the experience in 2026.

Because 22nd Avenue can be busy, families are encouraged to pull into the driveway if space is available.

Photos of the mailbox and decorations accompany this story, showcasing one of Kenosha’s sweetest new holiday traditions — a warm, heartfelt way to keep the magic of Santa alive for children across the community.

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