With event after event cancelled over the last two years, sisters Emma Oliver and Sarah Ferguson from On Track Events have come up with a Covid-proof business this Christmas: North Pole Mail.
After running successful events in the past including the North Pole Express which leaves from Kāpiti, the sisters from Auckland and Kāpiti decided they needed to start something that would not be impacted by the ever-changing Covid-19 alert levels and restrictions.
They were supposed to run five events in 2020 and a further six in 2021 but that all came to a screeching halt.
During the first lockdown in 2020, knowing their own business was not going to be able to operate, they set about donating their time creating systems of support for other local businesses, setting up online markets such as the Kāpiti Online Market and other social media groups that gave small business owners a way to promote and sell their products and services.
Emma Oliver and Sarah Ferguson onboard a locomotive at one of their past events.
This year they have been working on creating North Pole Mail, personalised letters from Santa.
Forget a generic postcard response from Santa, these letters are sealed with Santa's monogrammed wax seal with personalisation options including name, age, friends, family, what the child is hoping to receive from Santa, as well as any special achievements or milestones they have reached.
"The last two years have been more than a bit challenging for us," Sarah said.
"Given our business is in events, we sat back earlier this year to look at what our options could be if we were still in lockdowns at Christmas time, we looked at what we were good at and what we're passionate about, which is Christmas.
"Our family are a wee bit Christmas nutty, it's our thing, so we have continued on with that.
North Pole Mail's special wax seal and gold foil letterhead.
"As parents we understand how important the magical aspect of the season is to children and adults alike and love being able to spread the wonder and joy of Christmas that we create in our own homes with other people.
"We've grown up with it, we're all about the kerfuffle and feeling of Christmas.
"Kids love a letter arriving in their letterbox and what's better than that, but a letter from Santa arriving."
With a specially created wax seal, personalised stamps from NZ Post, letterheads with gold foil and quality paper, the aim is for it to look like it's come from the North Pole.
North Pole Mail enables parents, grandparents and caregivers the opportunity to purchase a personalised letter for $12.50 from Santa which will be posted directly to the child identified.
"This is our chance to create something from New Zealand that is really beautiful and feels authentic like it is from Santa at the North Pole."
Alongside your official North Pole Mail letter, the sisters have also come up with additional items for purchase if people desire such as a gold plated and year dated Nice List pin, or Santa's Magic Key so Santa can deliver presents to children's homes, even if they don't have a chimney.
"Because this is a national offering, we are mindful of how people are feeling at the moment, tempering the excitement and joy of it slightly, knowing some people are finding it hard at the moment.
"We wanted to create a product or service that we could easily deliver to people in their own homes, even in restrictions.
