WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — 3-year-old Truett Keys wants something particular for Christmas: monster trucks.
And thanks to a festive set up of Santa's post office at Carraway Park in West Columbia, kids around the Midlands can write a letter to Santa through Christmas Eve.
At Santa's Post, kids can fill out a letter to Santa. They just have to make sure to include their return address to get a response back.
Truett's mom Christi tells News 19 she loves the Christmas spirit this brings to the area.
"This is my first year seeing it, actually, so I'm excited to start a tradition with him by bringing him," Keys, an Elgin resident, said.
This is the third year of Santa's Post. Last year, Mrs. Claus collected more than 1,000 letters and responded to about 420 of them that had return addresses.
"If they're in before November 22nd, two letters will be picked and I'm going to read them at the West Columbia Tree Lighting on December 1st at 6:30 at City Hall," Mrs. Claus said. "Santa chose this park out of all parks in the area to put this mailbox, just so that, we have so many kids that come here, and this park is a park for children of all abilities, so it really reaches everyone."
According to the City of West Columbia, city staff restock cards, pencils and crayons in the mornings when the park opens.
The city said if these letters are mailed in before December 13, Santa will send a reply before Christmas. They tell News 19 that over 50 letters have already been delivered.