Kids writing letters to Santa
USPS Letters to Santa & Operation Santa Programs for 2024
NORTH POLE — Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus — and the U.S. Postal Service can help you prove it when Santa replies to your child’s letter — complete with a North Pole postmark.
Here are the steps for your child to get a letter back from Santa:
Have your child write a letter to Santa and place it in an envelope addressed to: Santa Claus, North Pole.
Later, when alone, open the envelope and write a personalized response.
Insert the response letter into an envelope and address it to the child.
Add the return address: SANTA, NORTH POLE, to the envelope.
Affix a First-Class Mail stamp, such as a new Holiday Windows stamp, to the envelope.
Place the complete envelope into a larger envelope — preferably a Priority Mail Flat Rate envelope — with appropriate postage and address it to:
North Pole Post Mark from Santa
North Pole Postmark
Postmaster
4141 Postmark Drive
Anchorage, AK 99530-9998
“Letters from Santa” must be received by the Anchorage, AK, postmaster no later than Dec. 15. Santa’s helpers at the Postal Service will take care of the rest.
Be sure to share the experience on social media using #LettersFromSanta.
Tips
To save paper, write Santa’s response on the back of your child’s letter. If you keep them together, your child will also be able to recall what he or she wrote.
When responding as Santa, make the response as personal as possible by highlighting your child’s accomplishments over the past year, for example, helping around the house, receiving good grades in a particular subject at school or participating in community service activities.
This is a great activity to do at Thanksgiving that the whole family can enjoy, including parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other caregivers.
The Letters from Santa program adds to the excitement of Christmas and is ideal for interesting youngsters in letter writing, stamps and penmanship.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
USPS Letters to Santa & Operation Santa Programs for 2024
The USPS Letters to Santa program and Operation Santa both bring holiday magic to children, but they have distinct goals.
USPS Operation Santa
Unlike the Letters to Santa program, Operation Santa invites children in need to send letters with holiday wishes to Santa. These letters are made available online for public adoption. Generous volunteers fulfill the wishes by sending gifts to the children.
USPS Operation Santa® 2024: How to Participate
The USPS Operation Santa® program is a cherished holiday tradition, allowing children to write letters to Santa and generous volunteers to fulfill their holiday wishes. Established in 1912, this program aims to bring joy to families in need by pairing children's letters with those willing to become "Santa's helpers."
How to Send a Letter to Santa for List Adoption
- Write Your Letter: Include the child's first name, last name, return address, and holiday wishes with as many specific details as possible (e.g., clothing sizes, favorite colors).
- Address the Letter: Send it to:
Santa 123 Elf Road North Pole, 88888
- Deadline: Letters must be postmarked by December 9, 2024, to be uploaded for adoption.
How to Adopt a Letter
- Register: Starting November 4, 2024, create and verify your account at USPS Operation Santa.
- Browse and Adopt: Beginning November 18, 2024, you can search for letters by state, family size, or language (English/Spanish). Choose one to fulfill.
- Send Gifts: Ship the gifts by December 16, 2024, to ensure delivery by Christmas.
New for 2024
This year, USPS has partnered with Toys “R” Us to offer Santa’s Gift Shoppe, an online catalog for easy gift purchasing and shipping, making it more convenient to participate.
By adopting a letter or sending one, you help make the holidays magical for children across the U.S. Start spreading holiday cheer today! For more details, visit the official USPS Operation Santa website.
These programs help spread joy in different ways—Operation Santa focuses on fulfilling wishes, while Letters to Santa brings the magic of a letter from the North Pole to children’s homes.
More USPS holiday news, including shipping deadlines and Santa mail, can be found at usps.com/holidaynews.