emailSanta.com
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emailSanta.com is a Christmas-themed entertainment website run by Alan Kerr which simulates emailing Santa Claus.[1] It also provides various other Christmas-themed simulations. Users compose their letter by filling out a blank form, then the website responds with a computer-generated letter which claims to be from Santa Claus. The site also includes a simulated video call for users to "see Santa live", where a pre-recorded video of an actor would be shown prior to the reply letter. From the website's inception, letters which contain pleas for help were directed to a special page, which lists online resources for assistance and counselling helplines. In extreme circumstances, the police have also been contacted.[2]
History
[edit]When a 1997 Canada Post workers strike prevented their volunteers from responding to his niece and nephews letters to Santa Claus, Kerr created emailSanta.com as an online alternative.[3][4] During the first two weeks of the site's existence, emailSanta.com received over 1,000 emails.[5][6]
In 2011, the website was incorporated in Alberta, Canada as emailSanta.com Inc.[dubious – discuss]
In a 2021 letter to the Search Engine Journal, Kerr noted the declining traffic of his website.[7] However, Kerr reported that traffic increased by 35% following another Canada Post strike[8] in 2024.
Reception
[edit]emailSanta.com has received mixed reviews from a variety of sources. Both Kerr and the website have received compliments and praise from TheStreet and Mamamia.[9][10] It has also been noted for teaching children about the importance of online safety.[11] In 2002, Wired reported that Mummert Consulting, a German market-research company, had been evaluating Santa websites and that "the top site on the list was EmailSanta.com" for two years, specifically citing the personalization that kids receive in response.[12]
Criticism
[edit]On Christmas Eve in 2013, Nicholas Tufnell from Wired stated that "[t]he design leaves a lot to be desired (it's very late 1990s), but it's perfectly functional". He sent an email through the website and noted that "[t]he response [from Santa] is pleasant enough, if a little vague. It may excite children, but we're not convinced." He also remarked that the email came across as "obsequious", while the website's practice of having Santa type out "*wink*" was "unsettling".[13]
References
[edit]- ^ Newsweek Staff (November 28, 2004). "How do you E-Mail the Big Man?". Newsweek.
- ^ "Calgary Santa receives wishes and cries for help in emails from around the world". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- ^ Depalma, Anthony (November 26, 1997). "Weeklong Postal Workers' Strike Snarls Deliveries in Canada". New York Times.
- ^ Braid, Don (December 8, 1998). "Internet Santa rekindles magic". The Calgary Sun. p. 4.
- ^ "Meet the People Who Respond to Emails to Santa Claus". www.vice.com. 23 December 2015. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
- ^ Baird, Kirk (December 13, 2004). "He's Got Mail: Kids find that e-mailing Santa is more fun than using snail mail". Las Vegas Sun.
- ^ Wright, Tony (2021-12-08). "Is Google Trying To Erase Santa? The Curious Case Of EmailSanta.com". Search Engine Journal. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
- ^ Brennan, Noah. "Calgary-based Santa emailing website sees renewed interest amid postal strike, founder says". Calgary Herald. Post Media. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ Brownell, Matt. "The Best Ways to Get a Hold of Santa". The Street. TheStreet, Inc. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
- ^ "This is how my kids email Santa and get a reply. And it's free". Mamamia. December 8, 2017.
- ^ O'Brien, Ciara. "EmailSanta.com puts kids in touch Tech tools: Website allows youngsters to contact Santa Claus while also educating them on internet safety". Irishtimes.com. The IrishTimes. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ Kettmann, Steve. "Dear Santa: You've Got E-Mail". Wired.com. Condé Nast. Retrieved 30 November 2002.
- ^ Tufnell, Nicholas. "Don't email Santa, it's disappointing". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
