USPS is bringing back its annual Operation Santa program, providing another avenue for shoppers — and even toy companies — to make holiday wishes come true for families in need.

Operation Santa is a nationwide initiative that allows adults to adopt kids’ letters to Santa Claus. Holiday helpers begin by browsing available letters online and selecting a wish list to fulfill. Once they’ve chosen a letter, they have until Dec. 13 to purchase, wrap, and ship the toys to the families. 

Every year we receive far more letters than those adopting, so if you have the means, we encourage you to adopt a letter. And this year we're making it easier for groups to adopt family letters — making the holidays brighter for everyone in a household, and they're fun and easy to complete with friends or coworkers."
— Sheila Holman, Vice President of Marketing, USPS

Participants can sign up individually, or partner with a team of friends or coworkers to spread even more cheer. Each team will claim an entire household’s wish lists and divide them amongst the crew, so every member of the family has a gift waiting under the tree. This option enables offices, organizations, or other generous groups to utilize their numbers to make a greater impact on their communities this holiday season. 

To make checking off the lists easier, USPS is once again partnering with Toys “R” Us to bring back Santa’s Gift Shoppe, this time with an even larger selection of items. Adopters can search, shop, and send gifts directly from the online catalog, so they can fulfill multiple letters without waiting in lines at the Post Office. 

To ensure their gifts arrive in time for the holidays, adopters should mail their gifts by Dec. 13. For more information and to adopt a letter, visit uspspperationsanta.com.

About the author

Natalie Miller

Natalie Miller

Natalie is an Assistant Editor for The Pop Insider, The Toy Insider, and The Toy Book. She is a Hufflepuff, a theme park enthusiast, and still holds the school record for the most Accelerated Reader points. If you're looking for her, she's probably at the nearest coffee shop, arguing over who the best Spider-Man is or trying to pet a stranger's dog.

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