It's coming up to the busiest time of the year for Santa, so it's a good job he's got plenty of helpers on hand in the Brandenburg town of Himmelpfort.

Himmelpfort Christmas post office opened at 10:30am on Tuesday 10th November – but one month before that, it already had 8,000 letters waiting to be answered from children across the world.

Of course, the big man couldn't possibly answer all the letters himself.

But with a team of helpers speaking 17 different languages, everyone who writes to the Weihnachtsmann (as he's known in Germany) should get a reply before Christmas – as long as their letter arrives at his desk at least ten days before Christmas Eve.

Himmelpfort is one of seven Christmas post offices across Germany.

Its origins go back to 1984, when a local postwoman discovered two letters to Santa from children in Berlin and Saxony.

She decided to answer them herself – and word quickly spread that this was the place to write to if you wanted to reach Santa.

By the early nineties, Himmelpfort was receiving about 2,000 festive letters every year –  and in 1995, Deutsche Post stepped in to provide helpers and give the depot the official status of post office for these two months every year.

Last year, the office received over 312,000 letters from around 70 different countries, reported DPA.

And with 8,000 letters already having made their way there by early October this year, it looks like 2015 could be another busy year for Santa and his helpers in Himmelpfort.

Fancy letting the Weihnachtsmann know what's on your wishlist this year?

You'll want to send a letter to:

An den Weihnachtsmann

Weihnachtspostfiliale

16798 Himmelpfort

Deutschland/Germany