"Cookies" for Santa's Reindeer

This is a great "Reindeer Cookie" recipe sent in by a visitor to Santa's website.

"This is a recipe I thought of while talking with my dad about how it was unfair that Santa gets cookies on Christmas Eve, but the reindeer only get veggies.

So I thought it would be a great idea to still give them veggies but, make them into a cookie! I call them "reindeer cookies"

First you chop up some celery in about 1 1/2 inch pieces.

Then you put cream cheese or peanut butter on the grooves of two pieces, making the top and bottom of the cookie.

Then you take a mini carrot and put it in the biggest opening of one piece of celery (shaping the celery with a knife as needed to make both halves fit together more evenly), then take the other piece of celery and put it on top of the carrot, pressing down gently to stick them together.

Use a knife to clean up excess filling off the ends. And there’s your REINDEER COOKIE!

A great new treat for Santa's reindeer, and a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies at all those Christmas dinners.

Submitted by Kabrianna Kay Mumford, Elmwood, Nebrask

Merry Christmas to All!


Santa Claus

Operation Letters To Santa

Please help us buy more Christmas gifts for needy children this year by donating via PayPal. We use all donations to purchase gifts of warm clothing, school supplies, personal care items and Christmas stockings. Thank you for your support!

Operation Santa Claus - San Francisco

April, who is one of Santa's Elves in San Francisco sent us this email yesterday about Operation Santa Claus at the Main Street Post Office.

"Here's the info I have on the SF Post Office's 2007 Operation Santa Claus program.

Individuals can pick up letters at this location from 1-3PM on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays:

USPS Consumer Affairs Office
390 Main Street, Suite 220
San Francisco, CA 94105

When they get there, they'll need to sign in at the front desk on the lobby floor and show their driver's license. From there, they'll get a pass and head up to the 2nd floor. The Operation Santa Claus room has snacks and drinks and the people working there were great! I've met Gwen, Catherine and Rachel and they were all very helpful. After picking out their letters, volunteers will sign the letters out, writing down the names and addresses on the letters they've selected. They'll then sign the form and so will the Operation Santa Claus rep.

I think that's about it for the process. Like I mentioned on the phone, it's a bit lengthy, but they were definitely efficient there. "

We love receiving information like this that we can share with other Santa's elves so please let us know when you find a post office that has an active "Operation Santa Claus" program and we will post it right away.

Merry Christmas to All!


Santa Claus

Operation Letters To Santa

Please help us buy more Christmas gifts for needy children this year by donating via PayPal. We use all donations to purchase gifts of warm clothing, school supplies, personal care items and Christmas stockings. Thank you for your support!

Christmas Decorated Sugar Cookies

Christmas Decorateed Sugar Cookies

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 bag mini M & M's

1 container green colored sugar crystals


Sugar Cookies:

1. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.


2. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes). Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough.


3. Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about one hour or until firm enough to roll.


4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or use a non-stick baking sheet.


5. Remove one half of the chilled dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. (Keep turning the dough as you roll, making sure the dough does not stick to the counter.)


6. Cut out cookies using a lightly floured tree cookie cutter and transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheet.


7. Place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from spreading and losing their shape while baking.


8. Bake cookies for about 10 minutes (depending on size) or until they begin to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.


9. To decorate cookies sprinkle green sugar atop cookies while they are warm and decorate each cookie with colored mini M&M's.

Cookies will keep several days in an airtight container. Store between layers of parchment paper or wax paper. These make wonderful Christmas gifts so grab plenty of holiday treat bags and hand them out to friends and office mates. They will love you!

Merry Christmas to All!

Santa Claus

Operation Letters To Santa

Please help us buy more Christmas gifts for needy children this year by donating via PayPal. We use all donations to purchase gifts of warm clothing, school supplies, personal care items and Christmas stockings. Thank you for your support!

Operation Letters To Santa Needs Your Help

Please share this message!

Christmas is a mere week away and we are answering as many "Dear Santa" letters from needy children as our resources allow. We do need help however.

There are several ways that you can bring a smile to a child's face on Christmas morning. We have listed many United States Postal Service Operation Santa Claus Chapters on Santa's website where you can go to the post office and pick up "Dear Santa" letters to answer.

Or you can Make a Donation. If there is one time of year that should feel more special than others, it's the holidays. Whether it's giving of ourselves when we entertain family and friends or sharing our blessings with those in need, this is the season of giving. Don't have time to shop, wrap or mail gifts to answer those "Dear Santa" letters? Santa has established an account at Paypal so you can make a contribution of any amount that you like, and we will do the shopping and shipping for you. 100% of all contributions are used to bring Christmas to needy children who write to "Dear Santa" each year. Read more.

Merry Christmas to All!

Santa Claus

Operation Letters To Santa

Please help us buy more Christmas gifts for needy children this year by donating via PayPal. We use all donations to purchase gifts of warm clothing, school supplies, personal care items and Christmas stockings. Thank you for your support!