The United States Postal Service’s Operation Santa program is now underway.
Through the program, people can choose a letter written to Santa and purchase gifts to send to the writer.
Dec. 6 is the last day for children to send letters to Santa. For more information on sending a letter, click here.
Interested in adopting a letter? Here’s how it works:
First, pick a letter. People can answer more than one letter. There is also the option to adopt a family and provide gifts to everyone in a single household.
To read the letters, click here.
Then, choose how you want to shop and ship gifts. Gifts can be selected on your own or through the USPS’ Santa’s Gift Shoppe online catalog, which is powered by Toys “R” Us.
With Santa’s Gift Shoppe, gifts can be sent directly, and all packaging and shipping will be handled, saving you a trip to the post office. All orders have a single flat shipping rate. The last day to shop is Dec. 13.
If you shop for gifts on your own, gifts should be wrapped and packaged according to USPS shipping guidelines. The box should also contain the USPS’ note from Santa, which can be found here.
All gifts are sent anonymously. The USPS said anyone sending gifts can write a note of their own as well.
“Just please remember to sign it from Santa to keep it anonymous — and to keep the magic alive,” the USPS said.
Up to six packages can be sent through USPS Ground Advantage service and up to six packages through Priority Mail service for each adoption and each family adoption. Postage will need to be paid for every package.
Packages must be under 70 pounds. The maximum combined length and girth, which is the distance around the thickest part of the package, is 108 inches.
People can bring packages to participating post office locations now through Dec. 13 to ensure they arrive before Christmas. Find a participating location near you with the USPS locator tool.
Have each QR code from your confirmation email ready, then go up to a USPS retail associate and let them know you’re shipping a USPS Operation Santa gift.
All that’s left is to pay for shipping costs. The USPS said due to privacy reasons, shipping labels and tracking information will not be given out, but you will be notified when the package is delivered.
Size, weight and distance may affect shipping costs.
For anyone who later decides they are not able to answer a letter, the USPS urges them to cancel it as soon as possible so it can be adopted by someone else.
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