Lovingly decorated children's letters have been coming to Bavaria's only Christmas post office for a long time. From Sunday on, children can also bring their wish lists in person.

Himmelstadt (dpa/lby) - On the 1st of Advent, Bavaria's only Christmas post office opens in Himmelstadt in Lower Franconia. Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) wants to put the first day stamp on the Christmas letters from the Christ child, which are sent to children in many parts of the world.

In the past few days, more and more letters have been arriving - and by no means only from children in Germany. "China, Russia and Taiwan are by far the most represented," said Rosemarie Schotte, honorary head of the Christmas post office.

Volunteers have been sifting through thousands of children's letters for weeks and replying, some of them personally. All reply letters receive a Christmas stamp and the special cancellation. The post office does not accept wish lists by e-mail. But if you want, you can bring your wish list in person from the 1st of Advent onwards. Schotte expects up to 80,000 letters by the end of the year.

The Christmas post office in the small village in the Main-Spessart district has existed since 1986, when around 3,500 letters arrived each year. If you would like an answer from the Christkind, you should address your letter "To the Christkind, Kirchplatz 3, 97267 Himmelstadt".