Himmelstadt is a little village near Eußenheim with 1700 inhabitants. It is one of the seven Christmas post offices in Germany, the only one in Bavaria.
A long time ago a letter addressed to the Holy Child arrived at this village. The postman took his pen and wrote back to the sender. The following years more and more letters reached in Advent. In 1986 the post office of Himmelstadt became an official "Weihnachtspostamt".
Meanwhile more than 40000 letters arrive from all over Germany and even from foreign countries in the time of Advent. Children write their lists of presents, some adults write about their trouble, philatelists want to get the special Christmas postmark and stamp.
Many honorary assistants help to answer all these letters.
Every year at the first Sunday in Advent many people come to Himmelstadt to see the solemn opening of the "Weihnachtspostamt". They listen to different local groups, who present stories, songs and instrumental music. A prominent person puts the first special postmark onto a letter. Santa Claus and his Christmas angel hand out sweets to the children. The visitors can walk along the Christmas market, which is opened at the first and third weekend in Advent.

And here is the letter, which we have designed:

At first each pupil has written his own text on his pad, and then in a perfect form onto a little sheet of paper.

We have cut out golden stars and have tasted it onto a big red sheet of paper.

We have folded this paper and tasted all our little letters on the inside.

Then we have decorated our common letter with many little golden stars.

At last we have put it into a big envelope and have brought it to the letterbox.

Now we are waiting for an answer.

Do you want to send a letter to the "Himmelstadter Christkind" too?
Here is the address:

An das Christkind
Kirchplatz 3
97267 Himmelstadt
(Please add return postage)

You can also send a mail to
info@post-ans-christkind.de