'Heartwarming': Santa's helpers in Saskatchewan help with Christmas letters amid postal strike

With only a few weeks left until Christmas, families are gearing up for the Santa experience with their kids. But one of the annual traditions — writing letters to Santa — was in jeopardy due to the postal strike.

Thanks to some dedicated volunteers, the magic will continue.

Sadie Mitchell's mom captured the moment her four-year-old daughter dropped off her letter to Santa this week. Little did she know, it wasn't at the usual mailbox spot, but instead, in the front yard of a Martensville home.

"This is one of our traditions that we've been doing ever since Sadie was born, and it was just sad that we might not get a letter back from Santa this year," Krista Mitchell told CTV News.

But now, Sadie and other kids in the area will get that letter, thanks to the generous grandma who lives there.

"So, her doing this out of literally the kindness of her heart, just for kids to have that extra magic at Christmas, was really heartwarming and very special," Mitchell said.

That special Santa's helper is Jan Diehl, who took it upon herself to create a special mailbox to put in her front yard, along with her elaborate Christmas light and character display. Diehl reads all the letters. She stepped up since there's a postal strike going on, and the usual letters to Santa couldn't be sent.

"I thought my place would be the perfect opportunity because the kids are coming here anyway, so to be able to come and drop their letters here. I made a mailbox one night, and then had it out here for the next morning," Diehl said.

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She's delivered 150 letters already, driving around at night with a friend. She had to change the game plan too by adding more versions of the reply.

"I started out with three versions, and then a family of four put in letters, so then I had to make up a fourth one because I thought they should each have separate letters," she said.

Opening each of the personally crafted notes to Santa and fielding questions from inquisitive kids.

"How do you do it all over the world? How do you do it in one night? And then what do you do in the summertime? So, I put that we ride our motorcycle, me and Mrs. Claus," she said with a chuckle.

She's not the only one being caught up in the Christmas spirit. Canada Post workers, who have been on strike since Nov. 15, wanted to ensure the Santa letter tradition continues.

"Amidst all this stuff that's going on, the strike and everything, we really, really have a strong desire to want to get those letters out to Santa. So, they volunteered. We set up the program here in Saskatoon, just to make sure that despite all the stuff that's going on, we wanted to make sure that kids got their letters to Santa," Brahm Enslin, CUPW Local 824 president, told CTV News.

Letters can be dropped off in Saskatoon at the Canada Post picket lines on 51st Street. A special mailbox has been set up by workers.

So, whether there's a postal strike or not, kids like Sadie are none the wiser, thanks to the hard work of Santa's elves. This preschooler got her letter in and is hoping for a unicorn under the tree on Christmas morning. Since she's been a good girl this year, according to her mom, it should be a sure thing.

With a lot of uncertainty due to the Canada Post strike, one thing is for certain: kids will be able to experience the magic of Christmas and get those letters from Santa.

Mitchell appreciates those who are keeping it all alive.

"Thank you so much for your very important part of Christmas this year, Jan."