Would you buy a hand-written personalised letter from Father Christmas?

[IveNoIntentionOfMakingCupcakes]

I am thinking about selling hand-written and hand-illustrated letters from Father Christmas, the Tooth Fairy etc. I'm thinking along the lines of black or brown ink on heavy parchment paper with small hand drawn pictures of elves etc. I would ask for a few details to make them really personal and then put them in an envelope addressed to the child with a pretend North Pole / Fairy stamp on.

The only ones I have seen online are printed so I am wondering whether there is any mileage in producing hand-written versions. Obviously I would put samples online for people to get a feel for the quality. Do you think this something that people would buy? What would be a reasonable price for something like this?

I think it would be a small market. Maybe £5 per letter?

Hi, I think it's a lovely idea, but I wouldn't pay for it.
If I wanted something as personal as that I would just do it myself, sorry.

There's a lot of companies already doing this, so you'll have to research. The NSPCC do one.

I bought one last year - some NSPCC promotion, you paid a donation to the charity and they sent this letter. I think that was asking for £5.
It was posted to my DD and she was really excited to get a letter from Santa.

I would but not if it was more than a few pounds.

I bought one from the NSPCC a couple of years ago. The DC loved it, but I didn't do it the next year, because they couldn't guarantee that it would be different the second time around. My DC would've noticed - they were still talking about SantaNav that was mentioned in the letter.

I think it may have a very limited appeal. I wouldn't have bought the one I did except for the charitable donation aspect. But then, I once saw some Christmas themed paper towell in M&S, and was muttering to a friend about who would be conned into buying that crap, and she said that she had done so. So perhaps I'm a bit Bah! Humbug!

Beamur, thanks for feedback. Was it written by hand?

I wouldnt pay. I get my stepdad to write one to my dd and he lives doung it. Although how i'm going to address it as she fets old enough to read the envelope i'm not sure. I had the same one duplicates from the postiffice so now we send one to stepdad and he relishes writing his response and because he knows dd he can chuck in anecdotes from the year that leave her reeling.

I liked the idea, but only bought it last year as it was for charity - £5 donation per letter for the NSPCC. I think if you send a letter to santa through the royal mail to a specific POBox (?) you get a free Santa letter reply.

I appreciate yours are handwritten in comparison to the ones I have mentioned which are printed, but as someone else said, a lovely idea, but I wouldn't pay for it. Sorry.

No, it was printed. There was a pro-forma which asked a few questions - like what is your childs name/their best friend and a couple of other questions and then this was included in the letter - which was quite long.
I probably would buy something like you're thinking of making - but I guess how and where you would market it would be pretty important.
I'd probably buy Christmas bog roll too!

Thanks everyone. It seems like a bit of a non-starter so I'm glad I asked. I guess I could always have a pop on Ebay to get a feel for any potential. Feedback much appreciated. Thank you.

I would buy it for my DC.

I think there are plenty of other obsessives enthusiasts such as myself who would.
Maybe start by making a business Facebook page with lovely pictures of the letters,illustrations and envelopes, spread the word that way.

I was going to do the printable versions from one of the Christmas websites, but would far rather something handwritten on heavy paper (with a red wax seal on the envelope, oh and glitter in the envelope and and.......I'm getting carried away now)

I have a friend who does this, they are beautiful but at three pound a child I could do my own

Didn't mean to sound harsh there just meant if you have 3+ children it gets costly

Terror sounds like I have a kindred spirit! A FB page is a cracking idea, thank you.

Waiting that didn't sound harsh, it's a very good point. Cheers.

Terror sounds like I have a kindred spirit! A FB page is a cracking idea, thank you.

Waiting that didn't sound harsh, it's a very good point. Cheers.

I would pay more for a handwritten one as if I handwrote they would suss me instantly. This lady's are typed so don't have the personal feel so much

Thanks waiting. Yeah the idea is to make them really special and individual so that they become a keepsake in themselves. I do realise that it's probably quite a small market though and that I'd need to price them realistically.

When I was at school in year 8 we made these for a class of reception age children, we all made up am elf persona so each letter was different. My cousin was in the reception class so I wrote his letter and he loved it as I put lots of personal detail in. I think it's a lovely idea and something I would personally do myself, but not everyone would have time so am sure some would pay.

I love crafty things, so like doing this myself, but for those who don't have the time or the talent, I think there would be a market!