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BeAnElf.org shows you how to obtain a letter to Santa Claus written by a child who needs a brighter Christmas.

At participating Post Offices™, you can read real letters to Santa from needy kids, and choose the letters that move you. Then send gifts marked "from Santa."

When you do, there's no middle man or charity -- it's micro-philanthropy, direct from you to a child. You and your family will catch the true spirit of the holidays.

Our group's mission is simple: to create awareness of the little-known USPS® Operation Santa program, and recruit thousands of new volunteers for it.

You can make a needy child's Christmas wish come true. We invite you to volunteer.

At this site you will learn how to find out whether or not the letters from children are available at a central postal branch in your city, and if not, other ways to be an elf.

If you can't volunteer your time, please donate online to Be An Elf, or give by check. Online you may give anonymously.

Your gift will help us let more people know about the Operation Santa program, started by the US Postal Service® in 1912. Help us recruit new volunteers, and together we will make more children in need smile on Christmas morning. Again, Be An Elf is not affiliated in any way with the U. S. Postal Service, and we are solely responsible for recruiting volunteers to Be An Elf.

Volunteer to be an elf or donate now!

 

 

FAQs
Tell your friends!

How to Be An Elf

Three ways to volunteer:

1. The best way to help would be to select one or more letters to Santa and buy a gift for a needy child. Follow the steps outlined below exactly.

2. If you can't go to the post office yourself, make a gift to Be An Elf. Your donation will help us recruit new volunteers. Together we can make more children in need smile on Christmas morning! Donate Online, or Give by Check.

3. Tell your friends. If you like, use our suggested draft of a short message about us. Feel free to rewrite it any way you wish.

Continue reading below!

WHICH POST OFFICE IN MY CITY OFFERS "OPERATION SANTA CLAUS" OR LETTERS TO SANTA?"

BACKGROUND

Operation Santa and Letters to Sana has been in place since 1912, but few people know about it. We're hoping to support it and to increase public awareness of it.

Many cities have a postal branch offering Operation Santa Claus and Letters to Santa, but some do not. The USPS allows every city to create its own policy.

Many members of the public, as well as companies large small, also participate each year. The good it does is immeasurable.

Not too many Americans have heard of Operation Santa Claus. An online search of the phrase 'Operation Santa Claus' shows a mix of mostly local websites, some linking to commercial products. Searching online will not always tell you which Post Office in your city offers the Operation Santa or Letters to Santa program.

HOW TO FIND A LOCAL OPERATION SANTA BRANCH

Go to www.usps.com to find out if there is a postal branch offering this program near you.

OTHER COOL WAYS TO VOLUNTEER AT CHRISTMAS

If there is no Operation Santa program at any post office in your city, and you can't convince a local post office manager to start one, then see our Other ways to Be An Elf page.

ONCE YOU FIND A POST OFFICE WITH OPERATION SANTA

OK, you finally found an Operation Santa branch. Here's what comes next!

SIGN YOUR APPLICATION

Before gaining admission to the North Pole room, you'll be asked to show a photo ID and sign an appropriate application form. Your information will be linked to each letter you take home. The post office keeps careful track of every child's letter it gives out, and keeps records of which volunteers took which letters home.

Once you are given access, you will need to the read letters to Santa on post office premises.

WHEN TO VISIT THE POST OFFICE

Of course, most children mail their letters to Santa Claus during December. Time your visit accordingly. Up to Christmas eve, it's not too late to buy a needy child a gift!

HOW MANY LETTERS SHOULD YOU RESPOND TO?

Our friend Hans Dohm (see his photo on the About page) has been an elf for years. He typically reads 50 to 100 letters. He always buys gifts for ten families, but we recommend that you start with one to three families. It's your decision, but be aware that you may be tempted to take on more children than you can actually provide gifts for. We need you not to overextend yourself, financially or otherwise. We want you back again next Christmas! So start small, and know that you are making a real difference to someone in your community.

SELECT ONLY LETTERS YOU WISH TO REALLY FULFILL. EXPECT DEEP REWARDS!

Select only those letters you can truly fulfill. Commit firmly to yourself before you leave the Post Office.

Hans Dohm finds deep rewards in being an elf. In December, 2005, he and Julie, part of his extended family, chose eleven letters to fulfill! He and Julie did the shopping and gift wrapping together, and on Christmas eve, Hans personally delivered the gifts in the daytime to some needy families and their kids. Smiles all around! (Note: The Post Office no longer releases children's addresses due to privacy concerns.)

Hans is a modest, quiet man, always respectful when delivering gifts. He prefers not to let the family know that he's answering a letter to Santa Claus. He tells the families with humility and respect, "A friend asked me to deliver these gifts to your home." The gift tags simply read, "From Santa." This keeps the kids believing, and most parents prefer that.

Giving is of course a Christmas tradition. Giving selflessly is perhaps at the core of the Christmas spirit.

HOW DO I KNOW WHICH LETTERS ARE FROM TRULY UNDERPRIVILEGED KIDS?

In Los Angeles, the postal workers read and sort the letters. They can usually tell which letters are from truly needy kids. For example, if a child is asking for a "warm coat" or food, or clothes for other family members, that's a clear sign.

There is no shortage of letters in the "Needy kids" box in the North Pole room; you'll be able to choose freely among the many letters. Feel free to ask the postal worker elves in the room why they chose a particular letter.

At this site, you can read sample letters from kids. Just see our Real Letters to Santa page. The return addresses and family names were deleted, of course.

SEND US A COPY OF YOUR SANTA LETTERS

You may wish to keep Santa letters to which you respond as part of your personal treasure. That's great, but consider adding your story to our archives.

If you send us original Santa letters, we will consider posting them here. We'll return them to you if you include a stamped, return envelope. You'll find our mailing address on our Contact page.

REMEMBER MOMS, DADS, AND SIBLINGS

If your budget permits, include gifts for parents and siblings. A disproportionate number of Americans now living below the poverty line are single parents, and many of them feel lonely and depressed during the holidays.

So, in addition to answering a child's request of Santa, Hans almost always includes gifts for the mom, or the dad if the child's letter refers to him. He buys gifts for siblings, too, lest they feel left out! Just read the child's letter, look into your heart, and you will know what to do.

SUGGESTED GIFTS

Great gift ideas for kids include backpacks or book bags for school, pens, paper, and other school supplies, and new clothes, like little T-shirts (used clothing may not be so well received). It's wonderful, too, if you can answer the child's wish in their letter.

We do not recommend used clothing, lest they feel insulted! Instead, for moms and dads, we suggest products that they can't afford to buy for themselves on a tight budget. You know, special holiday treats. Think of things you might like if you had no money to spare for a luxury or two. Things of quality are always welcome.

If your budget permits, try to remember siblings or other kids who may live in the same household, too. Hans buys about 10 gifts per household, wraps them all individually, and tags them "From Santa Claus."

HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO SPEND?

Hans donates his own money. He told us that he spends an average of about $60 per family. The ten households he chose in 2004 required a cash outlay of about $600, he said. In 2005, we raised part of Hans' gift from your donations, and were able to subsidize about half of his total gift.

What you spend is up to you. $5, $10, anything you can contribute will help make a child's Christmas dream come true. But please, don't write to us asking us to subsidize your shopping, because we will not do that. Remember, this is about YOU giving!

HOW SHOULD I DELIVER MY GIFT/S?

If you mail your gifts, consider choosing Priority Mail® or Express Mail® service . That way, you can track and trace your packages. For more expensive gifts, consider using Certified Mail™. In any case, make every effort to ensure that your gifts arrive by Christmas day.

Some postal workers who work delivering packages on Christmas Day even dress as Santa Claus!

 

Also see our FAQs page.

Another way to help, if you can't go to the Post Office yourself, is to Donate Online to Be An Elf. If you prefer to give by check, see Giving by Check. Your donation to Be An Elf will further our mission and help us recruit new volunteers. Let's put smiles on kids' faces by recruiting more volunteers together!

Another great way to support our mission is to let your friends know about our group. If you like, use our suggested draft of a message to friends to tell them about us. Feel free to rewrite the message any way you wish.

If there is no Post Office offering the Operation Santa program in your city, see our suggestions for other cool ways to volunteer at Christmas.