Postamt Christkindl, Christmas post office in Christkindl, Austria

Postamt Christkindl is a special post office in Steyr that processes Christmas letters and cards with distinctive seasonal stamps from the first Advent Sunday through January 6 each year. The facility operates only during this annual winter season and handles correspondence from senders worldwide.

The Austrian postal service established this special post office in 1950 to handle the growing demand for seasonal Christmas mail processing. The facility has since become a recognized part of Austrian holiday traditions.

Children from around the world send their letters to this post office, which replies with personalized holiday messages to properly stamped mail. This exchange has grown into a cherished tradition that connects young writers with the spirit of the season across generations.

The post office is located at Christkindlweg 6, A-4411 Christkindl in Steyr, and visitors can mail items directly there or through any Austrian postal branch. Early December is the best time to send mail to ensure replies arrive before the new year.

The Christmas stamp is used from the Friday before the first Advent Sunday until December 25; from December 26 to January 6 a Three Kings stamp replaces it. In the first year, 1950, only domestic mail was accepted and received a green special stamp, now rare among collectors.