Österreichische Post (Christkindl, Steyr)

Brief ans Christkindl (2026) — Letter to the Christkindl from Austria (Steyr)

Brief ans Christkind senden — official Christkindl post office in Steyr, Austria (since 1950), deadline, and guaranteed reply with collectible postmark.

Last verified against Österreichische Post (Christkindl, Steyr) sources: May 2026

Christkindl's address in Austria

An das Christkind Christkindlweg 6 4411 Christkindl Austria

Copy the address exactly — extra punctuation or missing lines can route the letter to the wrong sorting office.

Mailing deadline

December 20

Reply rate

guaranteed

Postage required

Yes

Reply languages

German, English, French, Italian, Hungarian

What makes this program different

→Christkindl is a real village near Steyr — the post office (running since 1950) is the most famous Christkind address in the German-speaking world.
→Austrian families write to the Christkind (Christ Child), not Santa — the Christkind brings the gifts on the evening of December 24.
→Every December the Christkindl office stamps over two million pieces of mail with the famous Christkindl postmark — even normal Christmas cards get re-routed through here so they receive the seasonal stamp.
→Reply arrives on illustrated Christkindl letterhead — a collectible in its own right.

While you wait for Santa's reply

Once the letter is mailed, the wait begins. On Christmas Eve, you can watch Santa fly his sleigh through Austria in real time on our free Santa tracker. It's a privacy-first simulation that runs in your browser, no signup, no tracking — and we've been refining it for years.

A short history of the Austria Christkindl letter program

The Christkindl post office near Steyr opened in 1950 inside a small Baroque pilgrimage church dedicated to the Christ Child. Österreichische Post saw the opportunity in the name — Christkindl literally means 'little Christ child' — and turned the local office into a seasonal Christmas mail centre that's been running every December since.

Christkindl handles two streams. The first is incoming mail from kids around the world writing to the Christkind, the figure that brings gifts in Austria, southern Germany, and parts of Switzerland on the evening of December 24. The second is outgoing mail from adults — Christmas cards routed through Christkindl specifically to receive the special seasonal postmark.

Volume sits around two million pieces of mail per season — most of it Christmas cards from collectors, plus several hundred thousand actual letters to the Christkind. Replies go out on illustrated stationery with a Bethlehem star and the Christkindl postmark, signed by the Christkind. Austrian families have been saving these for generations.

What kids in Austria traditionally ask for

🎁Austrian kids write to the Christkind, not the Weihnachtsmann. The Christkind is depicted as an angelic child with blond curls and wings — closer to a Renaissance painting than a jolly old man in red.
🎁Wishlists feature Playmobil, books, board games, ski equipment, and Steiff teddy bears (technically German but a fixture in Austrian Christmas homes). LEGO is universal.
🎁Bescherung — the gift exchange — happens on the evening of December 24 after dinner and after a small bell signals the Christkind has come and gone. Kids never actually see the Christkind; the magic is in the bell.
🎁A plate of Vanillekipferl, Lebkuchen, and Punsch (mulled wine, for the adults) appears on most Christmas tables. Kids leave a small piece of Stollen and a glass of milk near the tree.

Sample letter template (Austria)

A starting point — change the names, the gift list, and the kind thing you did this year. Christkindl likes specifics over generic wish lists.

German

Liebes Christkind,

Ich heiße [Name] und bin [Alter] Jahre alt. Ich wohne in [Stadt].

Ich habe mich dieses Jahr bemüht, brav zu sein. Ich habe [etwas Bestimmtes — meiner Mama geholfen, war lieb zu meinem Geschwister, fleißig in der Schule].

Zu Weihnachten würde ich mir wünschen:
- [Hauptwunsch]
- [kleinerer Wunsch]
- [kleiner Wunsch]

Ich stelle dir ein Stück Stollen und ein Glas Milch beim Christbaum hin. Danke, dass du am Heiligen Abend die Geschenke bringst.

Mit lieben Grüßen,
[Name]

PS: Meine Adresse ist [Adresse], damit du mir antworten kannst!

English

Dear Christkind,

My name is [name] and I am [age] years old. I live in [city].

I have tried to be good this year. I [something specific — helped my mother, was kind to my sibling, worked hard at school].

For Christmas I would love:
- [main wish]
- [smaller wish]
- [small wish]

I will leave a piece of Stollen and a glass of milk by the Christmas tree for you. Thank you for bringing the gifts on the holy evening.

With love,
[name]

PS: My address is [address] so you can send a reply!