South West Illinois News

The holiday season often inspires acts of kindness and generosity. For over 100 years, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has been part of this spirit through its Operation Santa program.

Each year, USPS receives numerous letters addressed to Santa Claus. In response, the agency established Operation Santa to enable people to adopt these letters and respond with gifts. The initiative dates back to 1912 when Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock allowed postmasters to reply to such letters. Initially handled by postal workers, the program expanded in the 1940s, inviting public participation as letter adopters who could provide gifts to families in need.

Originally available only in select cities where participants would pick up letters at post offices, a digital pilot was introduced in New York City in 2017. This online system was gradually expanded nationwide by 2019, allowing broader participation from home.

Today, interested parties can visit USPSOperationSanta.com to browse and adopt letters while maintaining confidentiality of personal information. To participate, volunteers register on the website and undergo verification before choosing which requests they wish to fulfill. Adopters are responsible for fulfilling requests and covering postage costs.

Businesses and organizations also engage with Operation Santa by forming teams that adopt multiple letters, significantly impacting their communities. In 2020 alone, over a million visitors accessed the Operation Santa website, resulting in more than 21,000 packages sent out.

The program's reach extends beyond individual lives; it inspired a documentary titled "Dear Santa" released in 2020 that showcases stories behind the letters and highlights how adopters' generosity affects children's holiday experiences.

For those interested in participating or adopting a letter this season, more details can be found on the USPS Operation Santa website.