What does the US Post office do with all the mail addressed to Santa Claus from the beievers at Christmas time

Question

I can't remember at what age I stopped believing. Age 63years.

Answer 1

"In 1912, Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local postmasters to allow individuals and institutions to use letters addressed to Santa Claus for philanthropic purposes — and use them they did.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of children write to Santa. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people do their best to make those wishes come true.

Operation Santa Claus kicked off across the country last week — and in cities like New York, Chicago and San Juan, PR, USPS employees were on hand to help the happy helpers wade through the nearly 200,000 letters received so far among the three sites. In New York, 50 elementary school students also were on hand to help greet Santa.

In Tampa, FL, Postmaster Nancy Fryrear and Suncoast District Consumer Affairs Manager Mike Rodriguez assisted more than 1,200 children writing their Santa letters at the Tampa Parks and Recreation’s “Santa Fest.” “It was so enjoyable helping the children” said Fryrear. “It made you feel like you were a kid again.”

“It also was a good opportunity for us to teach children the proper way to write a letter,” said Rodriguez.

This is the week for “Dear Santa” letters. On Friday, Dec. 9, at 8 p.m. ET/PT the Postal Service teams up with FOX-TV to make wishes come true for four little letter writers. Among the stories featured are Hannah, 10, who wants to make Christmas special for sick children; Anika, 7, who wants her dad, who is serving in Iraq, home for Christmas; and Anastasia, 7, who dreams of being a doctor."

Answer 2

Someone posed a similar question to this not to long ago and the answer was if there is no return address then they post them for everyone to read at the Post Office, but if there is a return address, they might write them back and leave them a candy cane. That was definetly in a more rural setting. I would be interested to see what cities do with it all.

Answer 3

Several things. Mostly they forward them on to Santa and kids get a letter back from him. Also, some post offices (in New York) have a program where letters that sound particularly desperate can be answered by good Samaritans.

Answer 4

I don't know about the post office...but our local mall has a red mailbox that is for Santa letters only. They take the names off of the list and send your child a letter back telling them what it's like at the north pole and how all the reindeer are doing. It was pretty neat.

Answer 5

Well........that is a good question. They probably have a dead letter file they put it in for a while and then they shred it. however someone else posted that it is a shame that parents allow their children to waste paper...they should get over it! Come on it is one Holiday out of the year and children should be allowed to be children!!!!

Answer 6

Air drop them on Santa's Village

Answer 7

well they should send it back to the return address technically...but that would suck for a little kid to get his letter to santa returned. i bet you the have this big event where the open all of them and read them out loud and laugh.

Answer 8

i don't know if they still do or not, but in past years, a lot of it was passed along to charitible orginizations who tried to fulfill some of the wishes of the children who would be receiving nothing for christmas. i hope that's still true, but i haven't heard about it recently. happy holidays--grmmynet

Answer 9

Haha, well in my city they actually hire someone to write back to all the kids. But it's funny because it usually says the same thing.

Answer 10

They send them to Santa-what else!