Colby Phillips with her friend Santa send Letters from Santa to children during the holiday season.
Phillips to collect toys for Diakonia this season at Yacht Club event Dec. 16
By Cindy Hoffman, Staff Writer
(Nov. 9, 2023) Everyone knows Santa has a magical workshop in the North Pole, but most people don’t know there is another workshop here in Ocean Pines headed by Colby Phillips, a special Santa Helper.
Phillips and Santa have been friends for a long time, and every year, she helps Santa write letters to special girls, boys and even adults who want to hear from him.
Anyone who knows of someone who would like to get a letter from Santa can send their name and address to SantaPhillips@Yahoo.com by Nov. 15.
Phillips has been working with Santa for 12 years now and has helped him write hundreds of letters to children locally and as far away as California, Hawaii, Texas and even England.
She also helps Santa respond to children who write to him. In Ocean Pines, children can send a letter to Santa through the OP Post Office.
This year’s letter from Santa will include a coloring page featuring Peppermint, the reindeer and Gumdrop, the elf. Santa and Phillips introduced these two new members of Santa’s crew in a coloring book they produced a few years ago.
Phillips gets help from other friends of Santa, including the folks at Berlin’s Ace Printing, which provides all of the personalized printing as a donation to Santa. Little elves help stuff the envelopes and mail the letters, or so it is said.
“Some children have been getting letters since she started doing this,” Phillips said. “It’s a tradition for some of the children. I love that.”
Phillips has saved all of the letters Santa has received over the years. Some children ask questions, like “How does Mrs. Claus keep you so fat?”
One little girl provided a drawing of a doll house that she wanted. Others ask for Barbies, puppies and baby sisters. Some are written in crayon, some provide cut-outs from catalogs or pictures of the gifts they want.
“One story really touched my heart,” Phillips said.
She heard about a little girl who lost her mom. Santa and Phillips sent her an angel necklace. She heard later that the girl considered it one of her favorite memories after losing her mom.
Phillips said it is her goal is to spread joy during the holiday season — “It is something that I feel very blessed to be able to do.”
In order to ensure that everyone who wants a letter from Santa gets one before Christmas, Phillips asks that people send her requests
(including the name and address of the recipient) to SantaPhillips@Yahoo.com by Nov. 15. She welcomes stamps or donations, which can be dropped off at the Ocean Pines Post Office. Any additional donations that are not used this year will go to families in need through Worcester Gold.
On Dec. 16, Phillips will be hosting an event at the Ocean Pines Yacht Club at 5 pm. The Ocean Pines Fire Department will be bringing Santa by for a special appearance. The public is invited to attend and sing Christmas carols, have hot chocolate and cookies and, if able, bring a new toy.
“We are going to accept toys for the 16 children at Diakonia,” Phillips said. Diakonia is a shelter in West Ocean City.
The event will honor the memory of Josh Alton, a teen from Ocean Pines who lost his battle with cancer in 2022. His favorite holiday was Christmas and Phillips helped provide a special Christmas in July for him before he passed.
For anyone who wishes to donate to the Letters from Santa or for a toy for children at Diakonia, (she is happy to purchase toys with any donations) her Venmo is @santaphillips.