The United States Postal Service (USPS) is encouraging families to engage in festive activities this holiday season by writing letters to Santa and participating in Operation Santa. With a cold and cloudy weekend ahead, this indoor activity offers a delightful way for children to connect with the spirit of Christmas.
Writing to Santa can be a magical experience for children. To create a special exchange, parents can help their children draft letters to Santa Claus at the North Pole. Here’s how to get started:
1. Use two different writing instruments and two envelopes—one large enough to hold the other.
2. The child writes a letter addressed to Santa Claus, North Pole, and places it in the smaller envelope.
3. Parents should write a personalized response without the child noticing, ensuring to disguise their handwriting. Sign it “From Santa.”
4. Insert both letters into the larger envelope addressed to the child.
5. Include the return address as Santa, North Pole, and affix a First Class stamp (currently priced at $0.78).
6. Finally, mail the complete envelope to North Pole Postmark, Postmaster, 4141 Postmark Dr., Anchorage, AK 99530-9998.
To ensure a timely response, USPS recommends mailing letters by December 1, 2023. Parents are encouraged to personalize Santa’s response by referencing their child’s activities throughout the year.
Participate in Operation Santa This Year
Operation Santa is a long-standing philanthropic initiative that allows individuals, families, workplaces, and community groups to adopt letters from children. The program aims to brighten the holiday season for families in need. This year, USPS is emphasizing the adoption of family letters, allowing teams to work together and ensure that letters from the same household are fulfilled collectively.
To participate, users can visit USPSOperationSanta.com and follow these steps:
1. Create a login and verify their identity.
2. Browse available letters from across the country.
3. Adopt letters that resonate with them, including family letters.
4. Select appropriate gifts, either through the USPS Santa’s Gift Shoppe or from other sources.
5. Ship gifts via the online catalog or from a local Post Office.
For families or workplace groups wishing to adopt family letters, one person can create a team and invite others to help fulfill the family’s holiday wishes. It is essential for all letters in a family to be adopted. The team leader has the ability to view unclaimed letters and can adopt any remaining ones to ensure the family is fully supported.
This year’s Santa’s Gift Shoppe, a partnership between USPS and Toys “R” Us, has expanded its offerings. Adopters can send gifts directly from the online catalog, saving time and effort. Additionally, free shipping is available for orders over $49, with the service managing all packaging and shipping logistics. To ensure gifts arrive on time, they should be shipped by December 13, 2023.
In a statement, Sheila Holman, USPS Vice President of Marketing, highlighted that the agency receives “far more letters than those adopting” each year. Operation Santa, which began in 1912 under Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock, continues to foster a spirit of generosity and community during the holiday season.
This year, consider joining in the fun by writing to Santa or adopting a letter through Operation Santa, supporting families and spreading holiday cheer.