USPS ‘Operation Santa’ Website Allows Public to Answer Children’s Letters Online

The U.S. Postal Service’s USPSOperationSanta.com website went live Friday, allowing people to help postal workers continue their 108-year-old tradition of responding to children’s letters to Santa Claus.

“Letter adopters” are being sought to respond to the letter, and possibly make some of the children’s holiday wishes come true.

With the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, “This year, the holiday season is going to be more challenging than usual for many,” the USPS said in a written statement. “Fortunately, the USPS Operation Santa program — and its generous Postal Service customers  — can still help make it a joyous celebration.

“Potential adopters can visit USPSOperationSanta.com, read through the letters, pick one or more wishes that they’d like to fulfill, and follow the directions on how to grant that special wish for a child,” the statement said. Companies and organizations are also invited to take part in the tradition.

Addresses, last names and other personal information are removed from the letters before they are uploaded to the website for response, officials said. Letter adopters are vetted through a brief registration process before participating.

“The purpose is to help as many deserving families as we can. And we can only do that if good hearted adopters step forward,” according to the USPS statement.

The program has its roots in 1912, when Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local postmasters to allow USPS employees and citizens to respond to children’s letters to the North Pole.

Letters to Santa can be addressed to Santa Claus, 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888. They will continue to be uploaded to USPSOperationSanta.com through Dec. 15.