Where do all the letters to Santa go?

It used to be that every letter mailed to Santa Claus was a wish with and a story that would go unread. We wanted to grant these wishes, so we partnered with the U.S. Postal Service to create Operation Santa—a service where these letters could finally be read, and we gave everyone a chance to become Santa.

We published the letters, which people from all over the country answered—making the Holiday miracle of Santa real for many needy kids and families.

Cannes Lions Titanium Nomination
Cannes Lions: Silver Creative Data
Cannes Lions Bronze: PR
Cannes Lions: Brand Activation Nomination

Best Feature: Dear Santa
Brand: The United States Postal Service

One Show Gold Pencil: Innovation in PR
One Show Gold Pencil: Best Use of Social
One Show Merit: Creative Effectiveness
One Show Silver Pencil: Digital Innovation

Webbys Winner: Advertising: Real-Time Response
Webbys Winner: PR - Cause Related Campaign

D&AD - Impact: Community and Civic Engagement

Positive Change - Social Good

Clios Bronze: PR - Corporate Image
Clios Bronze: PR - Cause-related

Public Image

Activation & Engagement, 2018 - Bronze Winner Avant-Garde Discipline, 2018 - Bronze Winner

THE PLATFORM

We designed an internal process to publish these letters and protect personal information while preserving the emotional impact of children’s handwriting.

A publishing and adoption platform were created. 

Here you could read the letters —some happy, some heartbreaking. And with one click, a reader could adopt a child’s letter and become their Santa.

Reading their stories sparked a connection. The word spread quickly during a season when people wanted to channel genuinely charitable holiday feelings into a good cause.

"It has helped countless families across the US."

PART 2/3

Delivering
Hope

In the California wildfires, 13,969 families lost their homes just before Christmas. To help, we launched a separate part of the program to help the kids and their families. 

We invited and encouraged every kid affected by the fires to write to Santa, and special shelter events were created. 

Over ten thousand letters addressed to Santa were published on the Operation Santa platform—one week before Christmas. 

And people all over the country stepped up to be their Santa. Creating a holiday miracle for the families. 

"I demand you to watch it. 
 You will be blown away!"

PART 3/3

Dear Santa

-The Movie

In 2020 we teamed up with filmmaker Dana Nachman, known for her documentary "Batkid Begins," to tell the story of Operation Santa. The Movie "Dear Santa" premiered on December 4, 2020. It has 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and was awarded best brand film at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2021.