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RANKIN INLET - Students at Leo Ussak elementary school in Rankin Inlet had a visit from an honorary Canada Post elf this past month.

Rankin postmistress Hannah Siksik visited the students to collect their letters to Santa and explain the role Canada Post plays in ensuring they get to the North Pole every Christmas.

And it's a large role, indeed. In fact, Canada Post has helped Santa respond to more than 16 million letters from children during the past 27 years.

And the Jolly Old Elf has received more than a million letters each year for the past seven years.

More than 11,000 current and retired Canada Post employees, affectionately known as postal elves, work to ensure every child's letter gets an answer in the language in which it was written, including Braille.

In 2007, Santa responded in 26 languages.

During an elf's visit, the kids learn it is very important to include a complete return address, including the postal code, so Canada Post can deliver Santa's reply.

Siksik said helping the kids learn how to properly address an envelope is an important part of an elf's visit.

She said the talk helps kids realize an envelope has to be properly addressed to get where it's intended.

"Canada Post does the Santa Letter Writing Program for kids across Canada every year," said Siksik.

"As everyone knows, Santa is very, very busy this time of year, so it's a great honour for employees of Canada Post to be able to help him out as much as we can.

"Here in Rankin, I was really happy to have the chance to go to Leo Ussak school and collect all the kids' letters and put them in our special Santa letter bag.

"It was also a lot of fun talking with the kids and getting to show them how to properly address an envelope."

Siksik said giving the kids get a chance to have their letters specially delivered to Santa, while also learning a few extra skills in using the mail properly, is a win-win situation for everyone.

"Canada Post never returns a letter addressed to Santa.

"We show the kids that putting a stamp on an envelope is part of addressing it properly, but we always make sure the letters find their way to the North Pole."