FAIRBANK — Santa’s elves in North Pole may want to sharpen their pencils.

The U.S. Postal Service announced Friday that it is resuming a program in which volunteers respond to some of the estimated 150,000 letters to Santa Claus that accumulate at the post office in North Pole.

New security measures protecting letter writers’ identities will ensure that personal information about small children doesn’t fall into the wrong hands, officials said.

Leaders at the Christmas-themed city and statewide applauded the decision and credited postal workers in Alaska for acting to keep the tradition alive.

“We are so pleased that after hearing from our office, other Alaskans and Santa lovers everywhere, the Postal Service has agreed to continue this program,” U.S. Sen. Mark Begich said in a written statement. He and the other members of Alaska’s congressional delegation — U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young — had written to the postmaster general about the decision to curtail the service.

“This is a perfect Christmas present for Alaskans and children across the country who love to write to and get a letter back from Santa,” Begich said.

The Postal Service announced earlier this week it would cancel the program, citing security concerns and incensing the mayor in North Pole, a community that prides itself in promoting the spirit of Christmas.

Withholding the letters to Santa called into question the future of Santa’s Mailbag, a volunteer effort to respond to children’s letters and that dates back 55 years.

Santa letters sent to the North Pole post office will be subject to federal security measures, making more work for postal employees. The Postal Service will redact children’s full names and addresses before the “Dear Santa” letters reach volunteers, officials said.

Gabby Gaborik is in charge of Santa’s Mailbag and said he is working closely with postal officials to come up with a better solution, one that takes the burden off postal workers.

“We’ve been working to look down the road so that we can come up with a solution that will benefit everybody,” Gaborik said.

One idea is to give Santa Claus a street address, 1 Santa Claus Lane, so the letters go straight to Santa’s Mailbag.

North Pole Mayor Doug Isaacson said he is thankful to the postal employees for agreeing to extra work so the tradition in North Pole can continue.

Murkowski also issued a statement upon learning of the Postal Service’s reversal.

“This decision today by the Postal Service brings the Christmas spirit back to Alaska,” she said.

Last Christmas, a postal worker recognized a registered sex offender among the volunteers with access to “Dear Santa” letters in Maryland.