OAKLAND, CA — If you have ever read a child’s letter to Santa, you would never doubt the spirit that lives in a child’s heart. For 103 years, the Postal Service’s “Letters to Santa”program has allowed adults to be that Secret Santa to countless children, many just asking for basic necessities. The spirit of giving is alive and well at the Oakland Main Post Office, where letters from around the Bay-Valley Postal District have started to arrive at Santa’s official mailbox at the Oakland Main Post Office located at 1675 7th Street, Retail Lobby, Oakland CA 94615.

 “Santa Station” will officially open on Monday, Dec. 7, 2015, at the Oakland Main Post Office located at 1675 7th Street, Retail Lobby, Oakland CA 94615.  The dates and hours of operation will be:

Dec. 7 – Dec. 18

Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

To help kick off Santa Station, children from Aspire Berkeley Maynard Academy Kindergarten class will hand-deliver their letters at 1:00 p.m., Monday, Dec. 7. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there to greet them. 

• Customers and organizations wanting to adopt a letter must come to the participating Operation Santa Post Office in person.  Both individuals and organizations must fill out the proper forms and show identification before any letters can be viewed. Santa Helpers will be available to assist those who want to volunteer.

Also, as part of the Letters to Santa program, the Postal Service will be participating at the Jack London Square Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 4, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with the tree lighting at 7:00 p.m. The Oakland Post Office will have tables set up for children to write to Santa and a special mailbox so children can deposit their letters directly.

Employees, members of the public, charitable organizations and corporations can help USPS respond to the letters at Post Offices around the country by participating in the Letters to Santa program. Thousands of volunteers and organizations work with Post Offices to respond to letters from children, not only to answer their letters but to also provide some basic necessities that children, and adults, often ask for themselves and family members. In many cases, children ask for food, clothing, shelter, and/or a missing parent.  For more information, contact the Bay-Valley Letters to Santa Program at (510) 874-8737. 

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