ARKANSAW (WEAU) -- Here’s a little story to help brighten your day. The officer in charge of the Arkansaw post office just west of Durand shares her story about why she loves her gig this time of year.

Tammy Hoyt started her job as Santa’s helper last Christmas season. As soon as Santa’s letters start coming in the mail, as early as August, Tammy helps respond to all those letters to help reassure kids they are loved and will have a happy Christmas.

“Dear Santa, how is it at the North Pole, how tiny are the elves, do you know if I’m naughty or nice, I am 8 years old, how old are you? Does Rudolph have a red nose or not?” reads one of the hundreds of letters.

The letters range from the inquisitive, to the questions only children are allowed to ask like, “How did you get so fat in the first place?” one girl asks.

Helping Santa read his hundreds of letters is a job for someone light of heart, “O yea it's a good gig, I like being Santa’s helper,” Hoyt tells us.

But not every letter she reads, is from a child asking for toys,”There's been a couple especially now with the employment rate where it's at, kids asking for their parents to get jobs,” Hoyt says.

There was even a letter from a young boy asking for a new roof for his family.

“It makes me feel sad, but in a way it makes me feel good that they care so much for their families,” she explains.

From the bright and colorful to the short and sweet, she treats all the messages with the same tender care.

“I read them all, I respond to the ones with a return address on them,” Hoyt explains.

The response is a letter written by Santa, to all of his good little boys and girls.

“We just want to keep the spirit alive with the kids,” Hoyt tell us.

From the sounds of it and the looks of it from the mountain of cards, the Christmas spirit is very much still alive in this little post office in rural Arkansaw.

Tammy says the post office has been helping Santa respond to letters for 90 years. And a tip for parents, slap on a return address so Santa’s helpers know where to mail Santa’s letter back to your kids.