Operation Santa: Making holidays brighter for others

The last day to send letters to Santa is December 11.

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Over a century ago, Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock came up with the idea for Santa’s mailroom, and 111 years later, Operation Santa is still running.

Debra Fetterly is the spokesperson for the US Postal Service in Alabama and Mississippi. She says Operation Santa is something they look forward to every year.

“It’s where our customers can go online and look at letters from children, families, sometimes even adults, that are having a hard time, and our customers can adopt a family or a child and make their holidays brighter,” Fetterly said.

Potential adopters can register to participate in the program online and after you are approved, you can read the letters to Santa and decide which ones you’d like to adopt.

“You can pick someone in your neighborhood, you can pick somebody in your state, or somebody across the country. whatever letter or letters tear at your heartstrings,” Fetterly said. “The letters are heartfelt. I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about them. Not all children ask for toys. If their parents are divorced or separated they want their parents back together, cure grandma of cancer, get dad a job, don’t forget my little sister, she’s a baby, she wasn’t here last year. So, they’re very considerate.”

It’s fun for the children because they can send it to Santa. The letter should be addressed to 123 Elf Road, North Pole 88888. And those adopting are encouraged to use priority mail.

Post Office customer, Tim Heard says he thinks this is a cool opportunity for children.

”I think it’s awesome that each child has an opportunity to receive something for Christmas,” Heard said. “It lets the child know that he or she is loved. And the child grows up knowing they’re cared about and nurtured.”

The last day to send letters to Santa is December 11. The last day to adopt letters is December 18.

For more information, you can visit USPSOperationSanta.com

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