With less than 100 days until Christmas, the U.S. Postal Service’s Operation Santa program has begun accepting letters to Santa Claus, connecting children’s holiday wishes with gift-givers nationwide.
The program, which started in 1912 when Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local post offices to respond to Santa letters, has grown into a nationwide initiative pairing letters with individuals, corporations, and nonprofits eager to spread holiday cheer.
To participate, letter writers should address their envelopes to Santa Claus, 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888, including their full name and return address. Letters must be postmarked by December 6.
The USPS advises including specific details about desired gifts, such as sizes, styles, or titles, to help adopters select the right items.
“Grab paper, pen, envelope + First-Class Mail stamp,” the USPS Operation Santa account posted on X. “Write ‘Dear Santa,’ share your year + wishes (include sizes, styles, titles, etc.), sign + add return address (top left) + stamp (top right).”
Letters sent to Santa’s official address are sorted, read, and uploaded to the USPS Operation Santa website for adoption starting November 17.
Adopters, who must create and verify an account on the website, can browse letters, filter by state, family size, or language (English or Spanish), and choose which wishes to fulfill. This year, adopters can also select family letters to support multiple household members.
The deadline to adopt letters and ship gifts is December 13, with delivery expected before Christmas.
The holiday season officially began for letter writers on September 15, with adopter registration opening on November 3.
The USPS encourages early adoption and shipping to ensure families receive gifts on time.
More details on participating as a letter writer or adopter are available on the USPS Operation Santa website.