The Christmas Post Office, jointly launched by China Post and Finland Post in 2010, opened at the Beijing International Post and Telecommunication Office in Jianguomen on December 12 this year and will run till January 6, 2013.

Christmas greeting cards, stamps and postmarks are available at the office and websites authorized by the Beijing post.

Every card or parcel is stamped with Santa Claus's official postmark, which also happens to be the official postmark of the Arctic Circle. The postmark was designed by Finnish artist Tapani Talari.

SAY HI: Santa Claus greets the media at the Beijing residence of the Finnish ambassador to China on December 11 (CHEN RAN)

READY TO WORK: Lars Backström (left), Finnish ambassador to China, and Santa Claus, international emissary of holiday tidings, are poised to stamp specially designed Christmas stationery (CHEN RAN)

UNVEILING: Qiu Huaiyuan (left), deputy manager of Beijing Post, and Mikko Puustinen, counsellor of the Finnish Embassy to Beijing, unveil the ceremonial plaque of the Christmas Post Office on December 12 (CHEN RAN)

ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL: Santa Claus stamps a greeting card with his official postmark (CHEN RAN)

THERE YOU GO: Customers purchase gifts at the Christmas Post Office in Beijing (CHEN RAN)