URGENT UPDATE: The United States Postal Service (USPS) is calling on families to get festive and start writing letters to Santa Claus this weekend! With a cold and cloudy forecast perfect for indoor activities, now is the time to engage your little ones with a magical holiday tradition.
Families are encouraged to participate in Operation Santa, a long-standing initiative that allows individuals and groups to adopt letters to Santa and spread holiday cheer to families in need. This year, USPS is emphasizing the importance of adopting family letters to ensure that households receive full support.
HERE’S HOW TO WRITE TO SANTA:
1. Gather two writing instruments and two envelopes—one large enough to hold the other.
2. Have your child write their letter to Santa and place it in an envelope addressed to Santa Claus, North Pole.
3. Without your child noticing, write a personalized response from Santa, ensuring to disguise your handwriting.
4. Insert both letters into an envelope addressed to your child with the return address: Santa, North Pole.
5. Add a First-Class stamp (78 cents) to the envelope.
6. Place this envelope into a larger envelope addressed to: North Pole Postmark, Postmaster, 4141 Postmark Dr., Anchorage, AK 99530-9998.
To ensure a timely response, the USPS advises mailing letters by Monday, December 1, 2023.
OPERATION SANTA DETAILS:
This annual program is open for individuals, families, workplaces, and community groups. Participants can adopt letters from families across the United States. To get started, visit USPSOperationSanta.com to create a login and verify your identity.
Once logged in, you can browse available letters and adopt those that resonate with you. The USPS has partnered with Toys “R” Us to launch the Santa’s Gift Shoppe, offering an expanded online catalog for gift-givers. This means adopters can send gifts directly without needing to visit a post office, with free shipping on orders over $49.
IMPORTANT DATES:
– Adopters must ship gifts by Saturday, December 13, 2023.
– To ensure that all letters from a family are fulfilled, it’s crucial that teams work together—one person leads and invites others to help.
In a recent press release, Sheila Holman, USPS Vice President of Marketing, highlighted the growing need for this program, noting that each year, they receive “far more letters than those adopting.”
BACKGROUND: Operation Santa has been a cherished holiday tradition since its inception in 1912 under Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock. Its enduring legacy continues to bring joy to countless families every holiday season.
Get involved today and make this holiday season special for children and families in need. The time to spread joy is NOW!
