Operation Santa started over 100 years ago. Make a wish come true and keep the joy going for years to come.
I’d like to invite you to join RI Macaroni KID Dream Team for Operation Santa® – a program that lets us respond to the letters kids write to Santa. As teammates, we can adopt letters, fulfill them and make a difference this holiday season.
Your child can also write a letter to Santa. If you are unable to adopt another family, your child can still enjoy writing a letter to Santa and creating a fun time of doing so. (See below for info after the how to of adopting a letter from others) Get the letters to Santa in the mail asap, as the adoption of letters to be viewed starts on Nov 29th
Make Someone’s Holiday in Four Steps
Read
Look through letters and adopt ones you love.
Shop
Find the perfect gift, and keep it anonymous— it's from Santa, after all.
Wrap
Prep and pack your gifts using the shipping guidelines.
Ship
Send your gift from a usps Post Office™ location by December 18.
The History of USPS Operation Santa
One holiday season, over a hundred years ago, the United States Postal Service began receiving letters addressed to Santa. These were sorted and put aside.
1912 USPS Operation Santa Begins
In 1912, Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock created Santa’s first mailroom—authorizing local postmasters to open up these letters for employees to read and respond.
1940s USPS Operation Santa Opens to the Public
In the 1940s, letters poured in and the program was opened to the general public. Charitable organizations, corporations, and regular folks across the country all participated.
2017 USPS Operation Santa Goes Online
The USPS set out to digitize the experience so more people could get involved and adopt more letters. In 2017, the online program started in New York.
2019 USPS Operation Santa Expands
With the lasting success of our online program, USPS Operation Santa has grown. Now, anyone in the U.S. can fulfill someone’s holiday wish.
2020 USPS Operation Santa Hits the Big Screen
The documentary Dear Santa premieres worldwide, taking audiences on a heartwarming tour of this 100-year holiday tradition. View it on-demand.
2021 USPS Operation Santa Brings the Cheer
In a year where the magic was needed more than ever, Santa’s helpers delivered, sending 21,275 packages to children and families across the U.S.
JOIN US!! Click here to join and let's track how great we do in RI to spread the holiday cheer and adopting others anonymously. It shows how many letters get adopted in total from our area, you can always select more then letter. Please be sure you are able to follow through for the family/child you end up choosing.
Wondering if this is safe or secure and what is the process? The post office does not give the name or address of the those that wrote the letters. Each letter will come with a QR code you bring to the post office. That is how the post office will know who to address the package and send on your behalf (you do pay for shipping). You don't get to know where or who they are exactly, and peace of mind for those families who are having their child write a letter to Santa.
HOW DO WE GET STARTED??!!
- Register to be Santa's helper. & Share this article with others to join also
- Look through the letters and select the one or more then one you want to adopt
- Purchase or make items to give that child/family a wonderful surprise
- package and ship by Dec 18th so the package will arrive by Christmas (if you can not make this deadline, the program deadline is to not mail later then Jan 15th)
- Use this packet to get all your full instruction detail
Use these two images to share on instagram with others tag @mackidwashri
and use both hashtag #operationsanta #macaronikid
Use Links at top of article/website page to share on facebook, twitter, and pinterest, and email to friends/family.
Write to Santa!
Step 1 Gather your supplies.
Write your letter with pens or pencils on clean paper. Avoid art supplies that might smudge because Santa needs to read your handwriting! Decorate your letter, or download and print one of our templates.
Step 2 Write your letter.
Keep your letter legible and specific. For your wish list, write down game and book titles, clothing and shoe sizes, favorite colors, and anything else that will help your letter adopter find the right gift.
Step 3 Mail your letter.
Write Santa’s mailing address in the middle of the envelope. Please use this exact address:
Santa
123 Elf Road
North Pole, 88888
Include your name and return address on the upper left corner of the envelope, and affix a First-Class™ stamp on the upper right corner. (if you wish rewrite address on back of letter too) Postmark before Dec 10th
Click the link below to join the team so we can deliver cheer together. https://www.uspsoperationsanta.com/team/9d684b21
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