Grant a Holiday Wish for a Kid in Need This Winter with Operation Santa

Grant a Holiday Wish for a Kid in Need This Winter with Operation Santa

Make Christmas morning a little merrier with an act of kindness.

Operation Santa is making holiday wishes come true for little ones across the country. Managed by the U.S. Postal Service, the online program, which officially kicks off December 4, allows anyone in the U.S. to play Secret Santa by "adopting" a letter to St. Nick. Individuals can then send the child a toy, a new coat, or anything on their Christmas list.

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Here's how Operation Santa works: Kids write a letter to Santa and mail it via the USPS to the official North Pole address (123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888). The USPS then sorts and scans these letters, removing personal information such as last names and addresses before posting the scanned note to the Operation Santa website.

You can then browse through the handwritten letters and select one (or several) to adopt. You'll need to register an account and verify your identity before making a selection. Pick out a letter on your own, or gather a group of friends or co-workers to fulfill wishes as a team. After completing your Secret Santa shopping, simply package up the present and attach a label with an ID number (which is provided when you select a letter) on the box to ensure it goes to the right place. Lastly, visit your local post office to drop off your package and pay for the shipping.

While some letters request items like the latest video game or "a purple scooter with a unicorn on the front," others ask for more practical items like a toothbrush, shoes, gloves, and other basic necessities. Most of the letters come from kids, but some of the messages are written by families who need some extra help this season.

Operation Santa launched more than a hundred years ago when the USPS began receiving letters addressed to Santa Claus. At first, these letters intended for the North Pole were simply sorted and set aside, but in 1912, the postmaster general began allowing postal employees to open the letters and respond. The program was opened to the public in the 1940s as letters to Santa continued to flood in. The USPS began accepting charitable donations and written responses from organizations, corporations, and individuals in the giving spirit.

The USPS brought Operation Santa online in 2017, first launching the digital version in New York. Last year, the program expanded to allow anyone in the U.S. to adopt a child's letter and fulfill their holiday wishlist. To date, the program has helped grant more than 11,000 wishes for families across the nation.

If you'd like to participate in Operation Santa, the program officially opens for letter adoption on Friday, December 4. The USPS recommends sending your gift before December 19 to ensure it arrives in time for Christmas. So start your shopping now to make Christmas morning a little merrier for a kid in need.