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IT’S TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
LETTERS TO SANTA AND THE U.S.
POSTAL SERVICE - THE FACTS
Background
As much as history reveals, the Postal Service began receiving letters to Santa Claus more than 100 years ago.
However, its involvement was made official when in 1912 Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local
Postmasters to allow postal employees and citizens to respond to the ever growing number of letters received
every holiday season.
In the 1940s, mail volume for Santa increased so much so that the Postal Service invited charitable organizations,
community groups and corporations to read and respond to the children who wrote letters to Santa.
Over the past 60-plus years, the program has taken on a life of its own. Today, cities around the country
have hugely successful Letters to Santa programs working with recognized charitable organizations, major
corporations, local businesses, postal employees and private citizens to make a difference in the lives of
children from coast to coast.
100th Anniversary
This year, 2012, the Postal Service is celebrating the 100
th
anniversary of the Letters to Santa program as it
continues to fulfill the dreams of children nationwide. One hundred years later, postal employees, volunteers and
organizations remain committed to making children’s Christmas wishes come true.
What We Do
The Postal Service has Letters to Santa programs in operation around the country. In the vast number of
locations postal employees respond to the letters by providing a written response signed by Santa. While other
Post Offices may work with local schools, municipalities and community groups who volunteer for the joyous
task. Still other Post Offices work with established groups and charities who in kind respond in writing or by
actually fulfilling the wishes of the letter writer. Each year, however, in select Post Offices the general public is
invited to “adopt” Santa letters. In all locations were the public may adopt letters written to St. Nick uniform
security guidelines must be adhered to. Any member of the public choosing to adopt a letter may simply respond
in writing or if they so choose grant the wish, a decision completely left up to the individual Santa’s helper.
New York City’s “Operation Santa” program is the largest public adoption Post Office in the country, receiving
more than a half million letters a season. With that much Santa Mail it stands to reason they need the public’s
help. Every year the iconic James A. Farley Building on Eighth Avenue is visited by tens of thousands of people
who come in person to adopt letters. Its tradition for a kick off celebration to be held, usually during the first
week of December announcing to the public they can visit, read the letters, and perhaps assist Santa with his
work. The New York City program has changed very little since the 1940s when it was first opened to the public
and continues to thrive much to the delight of both the writers and readers of letters to Santa.
Letters to Santa
Hundreds of thousands of children of all ages send letters to “Santa
Claus, North Pole, Alaska” every year.
Unless these letters contain a complete Alaska address, they remain in
the area they were mailed.
Postal “elves” go through the letters and separate those that wish Santa
a happy birthday from those that express serious need.
OVER uu
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IT’S TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Guidelines
In 2006, national policy guidelines were created regarding the handling and adoption of letters addressed
to Santa. These guidelines were designed to protect the children who wrote to Santa and mandated that
individuals wishing to adopt letters must do so in person, present valid photo identification and fill out a form
that includes the list of letters being adopted.
In 2009, the Postal Service changed the letter adoption process by redacting or blacking out all reference to
the child’s address and assigning the letter a number. Individuals interested in adopting letters go to the Post
Office, select the letter(s) and sign the form. When the individual is all set to fulfill the child’s wishes, he or she
returns with the letter and/or item to be mailed and brings the items to a postal employee. The postal employee
matches the number on the letter with the child’s address and weighs the package. The individual pays for the
postage. A Postal Service employee prints and applies a label to the package without the customer seeing the
child’s address.
Local Programs
Historically, Post Offices around the country have partnered with various groups and organizations for charitable
purposes and on community projects that have a positive impact on the community at large and on the
residents specifically — our intent is to continue to do so now and in the future.
People-Community-Social Responsibility
The Postal Service and its employees play important roles in communities around the nation. Postal employees
live in the communities in which they work. Their children attend school there. They shop in the local stores.
They eat in the restaurants. They actively participate in community business. It makes perfect sense for postal
employees to want to help their fellow citizens, especially during the holiday season.
Through the Letters to Santa program, the Postal Service also helps to promote literacy. A letter to Santa is
often a child’s first written correspondence.
In addition to the Letters to Santa/Operation Santa program, the U.S. Postal Service is an essential part of the
fabric of the nation. We always have been a welcomed and trusted part of the communities we serve. Here are
some other examples:
Every year, postal employees around the country go above and beyond their normal duty to save the lives of
the customers they serve. In 2011, the Postal Service recognized 331 employee heroes.
Postal employees pledge an average of $38 million to the Combined Federal Campaign every year.
The Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers hold the nation’s largest 1-day food drive.
This year, 70.7 million pounds were collected. More than 1.2 billion pounds of food have been collected
since it started in 1993.
The “Have You Seen Me” campaign demonstrates the power of the mail — 151 missing children have been
reunited with their families (as of December 2011).
Sales of the Breast Cancer Research semi-postal stamp have raised more than $76 million in voluntary
contributions for breast cancer research since July 1998.
The Postal Service, the National Marrow Donor Program, and the Be The Match Foundation created the
Delivering the Gift of Life campaign 15 years ago. More than 57,000 postal employees and their families
have joined the national donor registry and 81 life-saving marrow matches have occurred.
Each year, the Postal Service sponsors National Dog Bite Prevention
Week — a public safety campaign — to build community awareness
concerning animal attacks.
For the sixth year straight, the Postal Service was rated by the American
public as the most trusted federal government organization according to
the respected Ponemon Institute.
