The holiday season is a time for joy, generosity, and for many, a chance to make dreams come true. For over a century, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has been doing just that through its beloved Operation Santa program.
The United States Postal Service receives thousands of letters to Santa each year. In response, they created the Operation Santa program. Through this program, the USPS gives people the opportunity to adopt and respond to them.
The roots of USPS Operation Santa trace back to 1912, when Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local postmasters to respond to letters addressed to Santa Claus. Originally, postal employees were the ones to answer these letters, bringing a touch of holiday cheer to children who may have been facing tough circumstances. By the 1940s, as the volume of letters increased, the program opened to the public, inviting individuals, businesses, and organizations to join the effort by adopting letters and providing gifts to families in need.
For many years, the program was accessible only in select cities where adopters would pick up letters in person at designated post offices. However, in 2017, USPS launched a digital pilot program in New York City, allowing adopters to select letters online for the first time. With its success, the program expanded across additional cities in 2018. By 2019, the online system was open to people nationwide, enabling thousands more to participate in right from their own homes.
The online process has continued to grow, making it even easier to get involved. Today, interested adopters can visit USPSOperationSanta.com and browse hundreds of letters. All personal details are confidential to ensure safety, but the spirit of each letter remains intact, giving potential adopters a chance to connect with families and share the joy of giving.
How the Program Works
Participating in Operation Santa is simple but powerful. Anyone, regardless of religious beliefs or background, can write a letter to Santa. To adopt a letter, volunteers must register on the website and complete a verification process. Once verified, they can read through the available letters and choose which one (or more) they would like to fulfill. It’s then up to the adopters to fulfill the requests, handle shipping, and cover the postage costs to ensure their holiday gifts reach their intended destinations on time.
Corporations and organizations often participate as well, creating teams to adopt multiple letters and make a significant impact in their communities. This collective effort from individuals, families, and companies has allowed Operation Santa to deliver holiday cheer on an incredible scale. In 2020, when the program first opened fully online nationwide, over a million people visited the Operation Santa website, with more than 21,000 packages shipped to children and families, embodying the true spirit of the holiday season.
Over the years, this program has touched millions of lives, helping families experience the joy of giving and receiving. Its impact has even reached the big screen; in 2020, the documentary Dear Santa was released, giving audiences an intimate look at the stories behind the letters and the generosity of those who adopt them. The film captures the joy, anticipation, and magic that each adopted letter brings, showing the impact that a single act of kindness can have on a child’s holiday experience.
For more information on how to participate, or if you’re interested in adopting a letter, visit USPS Operation Santa to become a part of this cherished tradition.