USPS Operation Santa is not a scam. It is a much-beloved 109-year old program run by the U.S. Postal Service. The goal for the future is, and has always been, to help more children and families in need have a happy holiday when they otherwise may not — one letter to Santa at a time. USPS Operation Santa® pairs letters from kids and families with generous people who fulfill their holiday wishes. You can be a part of it — the more letters sent to Santa, the more magic we can deliver. Everyone deserves a little magic during the holidays!
How the USPS Operation Santa Works
Write a letter to Santa
What to include within the letter:
- Tell Santa what type of year you’ve had. Be honest. He knows!
- Requests for clothes and shoes should include preferred size, style and color. For toys, games and books, include names and titles.
- Return address information with a full name, street address, apartment/unit number (if applicable), city, state and ZIP Code.
Addressing a letter to Santa
- Return address: Write your full name and home mailing address, including apt # if applicable, in the upper left corner of the envelope.
- Santa's mailing address: Address the envelope to: Santa Claus, 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888
- Postage stamp: A First-Class Mail postage stamp is required, placed in the upper right corner of the envelope.
Letters to USPS Operation Santa will be accepted starting November 1 and must be postmarked no later than December 10.
USPS Operation Santa is committed to protecting the privacy of all our participants, including children and adopters. Before letters written to Santa are posted online for adopters to view, all personal information and identifying details are redacted to protect the anonymity of children and their families (like last names, addresses, community, location and contact information). Additionally, those who adopt letters are kept anonymous — it’s from Santa, after all!
Please go to the following link for FAQs, the history of USPS Operation Santa and more information: https://about.usps.com/holidaynews/operation-santa.htm