If you’re looking for a way to give back this holiday season, we have just the idea for you. USPS has kicked off its annual Operation Santa and we’ve got all the details on how the program works, as well as how you can get involved and spread some holiday cheer. Keep in mind, this isn’t the only way the USPS gives back. There’s also the USPS Stamp Out Hunger campaign every May and when you change your address, you’ll get some sweet USPS moving coupons.
Through Operation Santa, kids can send letters to Santa, and members of the community can adopt a family and fulfill their wishlists this Christmas. Children pen letters and send them through USPS, which then scans the letters and posts them online. Then we can browse the letters, select a family to adopt and ship them items from their wishlist to help make their Christmas an even merrier one.
Children should send their letters to Santa by Dec. 9, 2024, and those letters become available for adoption and wish fulfillment through Monday, Dec. 16 (our prediction, as the USPS has yet to announce the cutoff date for this year). Let’s break it all down:
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Send your letter to Santa by Dec. 9 for the chance to have your wishlist fulfilled.
If your child wants to write a letter to Santa, there are several helpful templates to download on the Operation Santa website.
Here are the all steps your child needs.
1. Write your letter to Santa.
In your best handwriting, create a list of the gifts you’d like to receive this year. List your favorite gifts first and try your best to keep them affordable and easy to find. Include your full name and address so Santa knows where to deliver the gifts. This information will not be made public — only shared with Santa (and his helpers at the USPS!).
2. Address the envelope.
If you’d like to reach out to Santa Claus, you can send a letter to
Santa
123 Elf Road
North Pole, 88888
3. Mail the envelope.
Include your full name and return address along with your apartment number in the upper left corner and attach a First-Class stamp in the upper right corner.
That’s it! You’re ready to mail your letter to Santa. Just be sure the letter is postmarked by Dec. 9, 2024, to be included in this year's Operation Santa program.
Adopt a family and send gifts to arrive by Christmas.
Sometimes, Santa and his team of hardworking elves need a little help from kind and generous people who believe in the spirit of Christmas.
If that’s you, visit the USPS Operation Santa site and click “letter adoption.” You’ll need to register and verify your ID. If you have any hitches with the online verification service, visit any USPS location for help.
Letter adoption begins on Nov. 18 so you can start checking lists twice right away. If you’re registered, you’ll get a list of potential donation matches and their list of desired items. You can be a deputy Christmas elf by adopting up to 15 letters per registered donor.
Lastly, if you feel too much pressure (financially or in terms of time and logistics) to handle elfing by yourself, you can sign up as a team with friends, family, coworkers, and other kindhearted do-gooders to make a family’s Christmas wish come true. You can also read some of the letters on the site before committing to any child’s request, so you don’t have to worry about committing to more than you can handle.
Here are a few under $10 gift ideas:
How to ship Operation Santa gifts to children.
1. Select a child or family to adopt.
Create an account and get verified, then read the letters and adopt one you love. You do not have to fulfill everything on the wishlist and you can read through them before committing to adopting to ensure you can stay within your budget.
You can send up to six packages per individual adoption, and 12 packages per family adoption. Please note that you’ll have to pay for postage for every package.
2. Wrap and pack your gift.
Remember, these gifts are coming straight from Santa so you’ll want to wrap them for the child to open on Christmas morning. If you’d like to include a personal note, please use the Note from Santa template from your Operation Santa instruction packet. You can write a note of your own as well, just please remember to sign it from Santa to keep it anonymous — and to keep the magic alive!
3. Mail packages by Dec. 16.
The USPS has yet to announce the last day to adopt a letter and ship your gift to ensure holiday delivery. However, if they follow the pattern of their other key dates being on Mondays, this year's cutoff date for adopting a letter and shipping out your gift will be on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024 (we are predicting this date since the USPS hasn't announced the official cutoff date).
Once wrapped, package the gifts according to the USPS shipping guidelines. Here are a couple of noteworthy tips:
Do not write any addresses or notes on the package. You’ll receive a QR code when you register for Operation Santa, and the Post Office will scan your code — just let them know you’re mailing an Operation Santa gift.
Contents must not weigh more than 70 pounds.
The maximum combined length and girth is 108 inches (girth is the distance around the thickest part of the package).
Batteries must be installed in electronic devices.
Electronic skateboards, scooters, e-bikes, fireworks/sparklers, and perfume are not mailable and are prohibited in the USPS Operation Santa program.
Important USPS Operation Santa Dates
https://www.uspsoperationsanta.com/how#dates
Monday, Sept. 16: Letters can be sent to Santa, 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888.
Monday, Nov. 4: Preregistration and ID verification for adopters begins.
Monday, Nov. 18: Letter adoption begins.
Monday, Dec. 9: Last day to send letters to Santa. Letters must be postmarked by this date.
Monday, Dec. 16: Since the USPS has not announced the cutoff date, we are predicting it will be Dec. 16. This is the last day to adopt letters before the website closes at 8 p.m. ET. We recommend sending packages by this date to arrive by Dec. 25.
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