A mailbox for letters to Santa, on South Ashley Street in front of Red Shoes.

The Chronicle has been known to send a letter or two to Santa, back in the day. But our recollection is that they were whisked up the chimney or something – actually, that memory is pretty fuzzy.

Ann Arbor kids have a more direct alternative: A mailbox on South Ashley specifically for letters to Santa.

The mailbox is red, naturally, with Christmasy images painted on all sides. A note near the letter slot makes its purpose clear: “North Pole Only!”

According to Maura Thomson of the Main Street Area Association, letters dropped in the mailbox will be delivered … by fairies, of course. The mailbox is located in front of Red Shoes, a home goods and gift store that also boasts one of the seemingly ubiquitous fairy doors in town. (The Chronicle noted that the Red Shoes fairy door is decorated for the holidays, with a small wreath of holly.)

So that’s the scoop. And despite all the whimsy, it’s nice to see acknowledgment of the practical side: A bike lock straps the feet of the mailbox to the adjacent street sign. Wonder if it’d be possible to leave a hot dog stand overnight on the sidewalk, if it were shaped like a mailbox for Santa?