Christmas Mail

Matt Sanders, the mailman in Del Vista, California, begins his day by delivering mail and gathering letters from children addressed to Santa Claus. The children’s letters are colorful and written in various languages, showing the festive spirit and diverse community. The large mail processing center processes all the Santa letters, highlighting the importance of holiday mail during Christmas season.

While delivering mail, Matt’s attention is drawn to a letter that falls on the ground. Kristi North, passing by with her dog Rudy and a suitcase, helps retrieve the letter after Rudy snatches it. Their meeting sparks a friendly interaction, introducing Kristi into Matt’s day-to-day life amidst the busy holiday season.

At the mail processing facility, Matt is reprimanded by his demanding boss Richard Fuller, who dismisses Christmas-related activities as distractions that hinder efficiency. All the children’s Santa letters are sent to a special office where Kristi works, responding to the letters as Santa Claus, which is considered a mysterious and secretive job.

Kristi North responds to Santa letters directed at Santa Claus, creating a friendly rapport with Sally and other employees. Among these letters is one from Emily, a girl who has lost her parents and lives with her caring uncle, Matt. Matt begins to realize the emotional depth behind the holiday correspondence.

Fuller promotes Matt to assistant manager and assigns him to investigate Kristi, suspecting she is a spy or involved in some secret activity. Fuller hopes this could lead to better performance and potentially a promotion for Matt, prompting him to secretly gather information on Kristi.

While searching for Christmas decorations, Matt stumbles upon his old guitar, sparking nostalgia about his music band days. He is shown to be somewhat disconnected and reconsidering his current life and responsibilities, especially in relation to his niece Emily and his former musical pursuits.

Emily receives a message from Santa saying she must take initiative and do what she truly wants. Later, Emily contacts Matt with questions about household items, leading him to rush home and meet Mrs. Johnson, who Emily appears to be trying to set Matt up with. Despite the pleasant meal, Matt prefers to remain single.

Matt invites Kristi for a picnic lunch, which she prefers outside but not in a restaurant. During the meal, Kristi impressively speaks Mandarin and Cantonese, explaining her ability to communicate in multiple languages because children write letters to Santa in many different languages. The outdoor setting later reveals a developing friendship between them.

Fuller’s investigation into Kristi uncovers that she has worked in different locations each year and has an exceptional ability to respond to Santa letters, leading to speculation about her background. Fuller’s suspicion grows as he learns she might be connected to high-level postal service decisions, yet her past remains obscured.

Kristi becomes upset upon learning that Matt’s sister died, and she feels threatened by the investigation. Meanwhile, she bonds with Emily and Heather, and later teaches Emily how to talk to birds. Her interactions reveal her caring nature, even as she struggles with feelings of homesickness and suspicion.

After being misinterpreted as a spy by Fuller, Kristi feels hurt and leaves her apartment. She calls her father, signaling her intention to go home for Christmas, feeling misunderstood and isolated from the community and Matt’s family.

Matt’s band secures a record deal, motivating him to leave his postal job and join the tour. Before leaving, he receives a mysterious letter from a Santa Claus-like figure, sent via a postal truck, indicating that his story is about to take a new direction. Emily wishes to go with him, showing her attachment to Matt.

Matt announces his leaving the postal service and prepares to travel with Heather and Emily to pursue his musical dreams. Kristi, having decided to stay, leaves her apartment with Rudy and her suitcase, traveling the neighborhood as she searches for Matt.

Kristi is picked up by the mailman delivering the special letter and uses festive decorations on houses to find her way to Matt. Reunited with Matt, she decides to join him and the band for the holiday season, culminating in a joyful Christmas celebration. She makes a heartfelt phone call to her father, saying she can’t come home, as festive music and her spirit of giving come full circle.