New Yorkers: Now is the Time to Send Letters to Santa

Attention New York: It's time to get in the holiday spirit early because Santa is now accepting letters at the North Pole.

The battle over seasonal hierarchy is always hard-fought. Summer-lovers hate when pumpkin spice begins to pop up on menus just like Halloween fanatics loathe to see the Christmas spirit before Thanksgiving... Nonetheless, the mailbox at the North Pole is open for business.

Write a Letter to Santa in New York with the USPS

Despite their dwindling resources, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has once again kicked off their "Operation Santa" campaign. Until December 11th, the USPS will be delivering letters to the North Pole from children all across the country. For letters to be delivered, however, there are a few specific guidelines. From the USPS:

- Write legibly
- Include your full name and address in the letter
- List the gifts you want in order of preferences
- Be specific about the gifts you’re asking for
- Don’t ask for gifts that might be too expensive

- Letters should be sent to 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888

Sending and Adopting Letters to Santa

Click here if you want to send a letter. While Santa Claus may not personally need the guidelines above to deliver gifts, there's a very special reason why they are required. Just like the man in the big red suit has helpers at the North Pole (and at your local mall), local New Yorkers can "adopt" letters to help Santa deal with the volume of wishes.

Read More: Residents are trying to Save Hudson Valley, NY Post Offices

How to Adopt Letters to Santa

New Yorkers can help fulfill a wish from either one specific child or an entire family. After the letters are read and processed (with any personal information removed), adopters have the option to sort through letters until they find one that is special to them. Then, it's time to shop!

Get our free mobile app

Letter adopters will need to ship their gifts by Monday, December 18th to assure delivery by Christmas. Register for an account here, and then get ready to help Santa Claus make the holiday extra-special for someone in the community. If you're still feeling festive, check out the best cookies to bake for the season below.