Santa's mailbox is open for business. The United States Postal Service has launched its annual Operation Santa program, and as of Monday, anyone can mail a letter to Santa Claus, 123 Elf Rd., North Pole, 88888, kicking off a season that lets everyday people fulfill a child's Christmas wish.
Operation Santa gives families a chance to send letters to the North Pole, and it also allows individuals and groups to adopt and respond to those letters, according to News Channel 5 Nashville. USPS marketing vice president Sheila Holman said, according to USPS, that “For more than 100 years, USPS Operation Santa has given” people the chance to take part, per NewsChannel 5. WSMV reports that this marks the program's 114th year.
When Adoption and Registration Actually Open
Here's where things get a little tangled. The official USPS Operation Santa schedule, posted at uspsoperationsanta.com, states that registration and identity verification for adopters begins November 3, and that letter adoption itself opens November 17. NewsChannel 5's report, however, gives different dates, stating that registration to adopt letters begins November 2 and that the letter-adoption window opens November 16. Hoodline could not determine which set of dates is correct, so both are presented here as reported.
The postmark deadline for sending letters is similarly disputed. USPS's own schedule lists December 6 as the last day letters can be sent, requiring a postmark by that date. NewsChannel 5, meanwhile, reported that letters must be postmarked by December 5 to be eligible for potential adoption and fulfillment. Prospective letter-writers should check the official USPS site directly for the most current guidance before mailing anything.
Who Can Take Part, and What the Rules Are
Anyone in the continental United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico can participate as an adopter, but only after signing up, creating an account and getting verified, per uspsoperationsanta.com. Only verified users can adopt letters, and the program caps how many each participant can take on: a registered individual can adopt no more than 15 letters, while teams can adopt 15 letters per participating team member, according to the same USPS schedule.
New letters are expected to be added to the site daily from November 16 through December 12, giving adopters a rolling pool of wishes to choose from. USPS is clear that submitting a letter does not guarantee it will be adopted, NewsChannel 5 reports. Each year, thousands of families send letters to the North Pole through the program, per the same NewsChannel 5 account.
A Program That Keeps Growing
Operation Santa has broadened who can take part on the giving side in recent years. According to a 2025 announcement from about.usps.com, individuals, families, workplaces and community groups can all adopt letters, and USPS added a new team option that year allowing multiple people to adopt letters from the same family together. That same 2025 release noted USPS advised adopters to ship gifts no later than December 13 to help ensure holiday delivery, and it promoted Santa's Gift Shoppe — powered by Toys“R”Us — with an expanded selection and free shipping on orders over $49. Whether those same shipping deadlines or retail partnerships apply for the 2026 season has not been confirmed. All letters submitted to the program must follow the guidelines posted at uspsoperationsanta.com, which remains the authoritative source for anyone hoping to write to Santa or adopt a child's wish this year.
