PHOENIX, AZ — Each year, hundreds of thousands of letters addressed to Santa arrive from children and families. Some letters ask for toys and games. Some ask for winter clothes. Some ask for help for themselves and their loved ones. With Operation Santa, individuals and organizations can send responses and thoughtful gifts in Santa’s place.

After a very successful pilot test in New York City last year, the digital version of the Postal Service’s revered 106-year old USPS Operation Santa™ program has expanded to six additional cities, including Phoenix. Customers in Phoenix can go online at http://delivercheer.com, read letters written to Santa, “adopt” one or two and help make the holidays happier for others.

Many letters are currently waiting for adoption and there’s still time to help a child or family experience the magic of the holidays.

Participation in the program is easy. Simply go online to http://delivercheer.com, create an account, choose one or more letters to adopt, then print an adoption confirmation packet. After selecting a gift for the child, prepare the item for shipping, attach a barcode from the confirmation packet to the package, and take it to the drop-off location identified in the packet. A retail associate from the Post Office will assist Santa’s helpers through the shipping process.

For additional information on this program, as well as information on holiday stamps, shipping deadlines, tips to avoid shipping glitches, and more, go to: http://usps.com/holidaynews.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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