When it comes to great feats of endurance, the Tour de France inevitably comes to mind. But while professional cyclists stormed the Pyrenees this summer, a quieter, more whimsical epic began in the German town of St. Nikolaus: three postal workers cycling nearly 3,000 kilometers to deliver children’s wish lists directly to Santa Claus Village in Finnish Lapland. It’s not the kind of news that fits neatly between economic forecasts and weather updates, but as reported by the Associated Press, via NewsNation, some stories stand out simply by existing.
Pedaling the Spirit of Christmas (Before August Is Even Over)
The cycling trio—Simone Nehring, Artur Hajduk, and Ralf Schüttler—are employees of Deutsche Post. They aren’t just playing dress-up for a fun photo op (although Santa himself did appear at their send-off, complete with purple cape and gilded staff, which might put a certain North Pole resident to shame in the sartorial department). These “elves” volunteer as part of a tradition answering over 30,000 letters a year addressed to St. Nikolaus, a task which, as described by the German news agency dpa and highlighted by both AP and WDIO, has been ongoing since the late ‘60s.
This year they’re taking things up a notch. Rather than simply posting the wish lists onward, they’re literally—if not magically—cycling the letters all the way to Rovaniemi, Finland. Their route, winding north through Germany, Denmark, and Sweden before skirting the edge of the Arctic Circle into Lapland, will take about two weeks, according to the reporting from these outlets. Even the most enterprising cyclist might hesitate at the prospect of hauling sacks full of festive hopes up a Swedish incline.
Not-So-Secret Santa: A Tradition Built on Stamps
Delving into the odd details, the St. Nikolaus post office in Germany’s Saarland state boasts its very own postal code, and is one of seven German towns with Christmas-themed names that receive annual mail addressed to Santa or Saint Nick. Over 30,000 letters come in each year from children all over the globe, and every reply includes a special edition stamp—a detail both AP and WDIO note, lending a pleasing blend of bureaucracy and whimsy to the proceedings.
St. Nikolaus himself got into the spirit, handing over his own wish list to the cyclists in hopes of a personal reply from Santa Claus up north. It’s not every day you picture two legendary holiday figures corresponding via international mail, but apparently, even saints have wishes that need delivering.
Holiday Spectacle, Foot Power Optional
In a season dominated by efficiency, spectacle, and digital communications, it feels quietly subversive—and undeniably charming—to witness three adults donning elf attire and embarking on a fortnight-long cross-continental bicycle journey just to keep a quirky tradition alive. As both outlets point out, the sheer number of letters these volunteers answer each year is impressive; one can only imagine the physical and logistical planning required for this year’s escalation.
Is the journey the world’s toughest, or the most pressing event in a news cycle crowded with global drama? Nope. But, as previously reported by both sources, there’s something that endures about real, paper wishes carried hand-to-hand (and by pedal) across borders in the summer heat.
Cycling to the Finish Line (And Beyond)
There’s no shortage of arduous odysseys in today’s world, but few blend earnestness with eccentricity quite like this one. In an era of instant messages and fleeting social media sentiments, the image of three postal workers cycling Christmas wish lists through northern Europe feels curiously out of step—and all the better for it.
Will Santa in Finland respond to St. Nikolaus in Germany, and if so, is there a special diplomatic stationery for that sort of exchange? Sometimes the best tales don’t require neat endings. Occasionally, a little organized absurdity is enough to carry the spirit—no sleigh required.
