U.S. Postal Service Says No More North Pole Letter Deliveries

Email this| Posted Nov 19th 2009 12:30PM by Sandy Maple

No Santa Claus at the North Pole? Photo: Matti Mattila, Flickr

This year, the postal service won't be delivering letters to Santa -- at least, not at the North Pole.

For generations, children have written breathless letters to Santa Claus in the hopes that he will fulfill their deepest desires on Christmas Day. And since 1954, the U.S. Postal Service has employed volunteers to read and respond to the letters that are addressed simply to "Santa Claus, North Pole." But no more. Citing privacy concerns, the U.S. Postal Service will no longer deliver such letters to the volunteers in North Pole, Alaska.

What would move the U.S. Postal Service to put an end to such a popular and seemingly harmless program? The answer is a registered sex offender thousands of miles away.

Last year, a postal worker in Maryland recognized a local Operation Santa Claus volunteer as a registered sex offender. The sex offender was stopped before being allowed to respond to any children's letters, but the damage was done.

As a result, new policies were put in place that prohibit volunteers from having access to the personal information of the children who write the letters. As part of the Operation Santa Claus program, the Postal Service now removes the last name and addresses of the children and replaces that information with codes that match computerized information available only to the post office. Individual post offices are allowed to decide whether or not they wish to go through all this trouble and many of them still do.

But the Alaska town of North Pole is not one of those places. According to a Postal Service spokesperson in Anchorage, the new restrictions are just not feasible in Alaska. Now, letters that are generically address to "Santa Claus, North Pole" will no longer be forwarded to the volunteers in the Alaska town of North Pole. Instead, they will be sent to other sites that are still participating in the Operation Santa program.

Despite the fact that North Pole, Alaska, isn't answering Christmas letters shouldn't stop kids from writing to Santa. Children can still send letters to Santa and receive responses through local Operation Santa programs. But those who are expecting an official "North Pole" post mark on their letters from Santa will be disappointed.

Is this good protection for kids, or just an overzealous, knee-jerk reaction? Let us know what you think in the comments!

rohrscheibcroh 11-19-2009 @ 4:07PM

thats sad they should scan those just like any other . i have no kids but thats a highlight to some.

King David 11-19-2009 @ 7:09PM

AS USUAL, the PHUCKING POST OFFICE does a "knee-jerk reaction" to a situation that could be simply addressed WITH MORE THAN A MODICUM OF INTELLIGENCE -- SOMETHING THAT THE STUPIDVISORS AT THE POST OFFICE are NOT CAPABLE OF EXHIBITING!!! What a bunch of losers!!! These Jagoffs worry more about red tape than common sense. No wonder they lost the Billions of dollars that they did last year -- get rid of the asses that are stagnating the echelon and get someone in there that knows HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS!!!! JAGOFFS!!! I hope all of the STUPORVISORS' children get coal in their stockings...

Jonathan 11-19-2009 @ 9:57PM

Jesus.....was a Jew. I never quite get why so many people do not realize they are actually worshipping a Jew....and if he was Jewish, so is his father...GOD.......so go figure how or why this world shoves Christmas ornaments in everyone's faces......Get a grip.....that Jesus...great creative Guy.....was a Jewish Man.....and you are all still worshiping him. I just Don't get It !!!&%^$#$%&**

sherie 11-19-2009 @ 4:20PM

What a sad place this world has become when a child can't send a letter to Santa Claus without fear of something horrible happening. Never mind that it's now inapproppriate to wish some one a MERRY CHRISTMAS for fear that you might offend.

rbonnie 11-19-2009 @ 5:00PM

sherie, why does everyone always say this, it's such a misperception. no one is OFFENDED by wishing others a merry christmas. it's a perfectly acceptable greeting for those who celebrate it. but there are other holidays, and when you wish someone a happy holiday you cover all bases without making anyone feel left out. its not wrong or offensive when people wish each other a merry christmas. my in-laws are catholic, i spend christmas with them, we exchange gifts and we all wish each other a merry christmas. but if someone doesnt celebrate the holiday its exclusionary to leave them out. when i go to their house for christmas its one thing, but when i go to the mall, i like to see a menorah as well as all the christmas decorations. why would you want to leave out others? some children dont celebrate christmas. you go to the mall and it is completely decorated over-the-top for christmas, plus christmas music, plus santa. is it so hard for you to put up a menorah so my daughter doesnt feel left out, and that she is ignored and not important too? i have always made sure my daughter sees that even though there are 10,000 christmas things and only one chanukah thing, at least it is still there and she is not forgotten. and this is a girl with a catholic father, and she is very involved with christmas. what about all the kids that dont celebrate christmas at all, dont they mean anything to people? really i would suggest you wish a merry christmas to those you are sure celebrate it, and a happy holiday when you are not sure. it makes people feel less excluded. why is that so hard for people to understand?

Merry the ChristMoose 11-19-2009 @ 5:44PM

rbonnie, it doesn't matter what faith, if any, you believe in. Christmas is a holiday. You are wishing somebody a nice day on Christmas. If you choose not to wish them a happy anything else, it's up to you. The reason there are far more Christmas decoration is because the majority of people in this country were of the Christian derivation for many years. In fact, this country was founded by Christians, a fact which many forget. If I choose to wish someone a merry Christmas and no other holiday, it's no different than wishing someone a "happy Monday" instead of a "happy Tuesday."

Karen Anne 11-19-2009 @ 6:04PM

There ARE people out there who get offended! Quit trying to make like this is all about being nice and making sure EVERYONE feels included (PC BULL). IF there weren't jerk-offs getting PO'd, then there wouldn't be this push to stop saying Merry Christmas - purely for fear that someone is going to be offended and maybe sue or (gasp, heaven forbid) go to the media and rant!

Want an example of this PC idiocy? There was a recent report of a school that in their "holiday fair" (supposedly to raise funds, AND sell gifts for Christmas), not only do they NOT allow anyone to say Merry Christmas, but they allow NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING even remotely related to or having ANYTHING TO DO with Christmas! THIS idiocy goes so far that they don't even allow the use of red and/or green wrapping paper!!! NOTHING with a Christmas tree on it - nothing with Santa or his reindeer, etc. - no signs mentioning anything remotely related to Christmas! But gee, OTHER "holidays" are allowed. And you have the gall to say that no one gets offended? Puh-leeeeeeeeeeeze!

I've personally had people get ugly with me when I've said, Merry Christmas - they don't like it, bugger off!

ruthsgardens 11-19-2009 @ 7:47PM

To Rbonnie.This is what you don't understand.What other holiday is celebrated on December 25th? None that you know of.In 374 ad a bishop in Rome chose that day to celebrate the birth of Christ, even though the Bible doesn't give it.But the comparison of Christ's birth to John the baptist puts it around the beginning of October making him a Libra.Theologians are still arguing about it anyways.The only other celebration on the 25th is the pagan's celebration of "The Invincible Sun".Saturnalia.Worshipping of trees in Scandanavia before these people became christians started the tree thing.The hanging of mistletoe originated from Celtic priests,the Druids,to ward off evil.The hanging of gold and siver to show they worship God was prophesized in the Bible by God himself in Mark and Matthew and was said to fall on deaf ears.The burning of the yule log was anytime during a year.And then Santa to,Saint Nicholas.All of these celebrations were incorporated slowly into the 25th even when they occured initially at other times.The birth of Christ should be everyday.There is a shadowing of the birth of Christ by pagan rituals.The same as Easter.Letting children have dreams and fun is important.But parents have to remember Lucifer is very good at decieving the whole world.Parents must gain knowledge of these things and make sure children eventually know the truth about these things.But most parents do not know theirselves.It is a shame one man can change things so drastically.We have to let children dream and be kids.Because a child facing reality of this world will harden their hearts fast.That is the problem with america.Children are spending less time being kids but are forced to live reality. It is sad.

Walter 11-19-2009 @ 8:06PM

I still say Merry Christmas if it offends someone ohh well they can kiss my butt, LOL I say put the Christ back into Christmas, so to everyone reading this Merry Christmas and happy new year

ladywiccan47 11-19-2009 @ 4:22PM

there is aways a rotten apple in the barrel to ruin it for everyone else. these sex offenders should be loaded onto an old freighter towed out into the middle of the ocean and sunk. The sharks would be grateful for the meal

laclone 11-19-2009 @ 5:14PM

LOL! That would be considered as animal abuse. Poisioning all those poor sharks with rancid meat. I'm not an animal & they make me sick. Imagine how sick they'd make an animal feel that ate one, thinking he was getting a decent meal.

B.B.,
laclone

Danielle 11-19-2009 @ 4:23PM

It's kinda sad that they have to stop this because of sex offenders. They should still keep it, just do a criminal record check on the volunteers. This could break lots of little hopeful childrens hearts =[

beth 11-19-2009 @ 4:34PM

why are we teaching our children that someone just "gives" them stuff. why not let them know that they get presents cuz we as parents work hard to provide for them when we are struggling to get by you really want your children to think they are going to get all the crap from a non-exisistant fairy tale????

John 11-19-2009 @ 11:26PM

It's so sad that you think that Beth. My Mom and Dad worked hard to raise seven kids. We were raised to believe in SAnta Clause until one day we found out the truth. It didn't hurt us, it was all a part of growing up. One paticular year my Dad didn't get the bonus he expected so here comes Mom and Dad walking up to the house, Mom is crying, and when they get inside they inform us we won't have much of a Christmas. I think it was the best Christmas we ever had! Because we had each other. We had God in our lives. That is what matters. Let the kids be kids. Let them believe in Santa Clause. If he doesn't bring them what they want help them figure out that it's okay. A happy kid can become a happy adult.

Blessed 11-19-2009 @ 11:50PM

Thank you. How can we teach our children about santa clause and still tell them not to lie! And what about children who's parents can't afford extravegant gift? Do we tell them they weren't good children so they don't get as much?

libertyfiles 11-20-2009 @ 12:50AM

Be honest Beth... you dont have any kids, do you?

Gloria 11-20-2009 @ 12:25AM

I've taught my kids to believe in Santa, but I've also told them they may not always get exactly what they want. My kids have been taught that Santa brings what Mom and Dad approve of, and what is appropriate to their ages. They may ask Santa for no more than 3 items and, only one of those may be an expensive gift. This has worked for our family, and my kids still get the thrill of the thought of Santa visiting. They don't care if they don't get what they asked for, or if it was expensive or not.

MISSFITZ 11-20-2009 @ 3:10AM

WOW this went from letters to Santa to a religous debate.... For one its HORRIBLE that it takes a TERRIBLE person to ruin a great thing..

Beth we have enough CRAP in this world that we shelter our children from... Why not allow our children to believe in something magical? They are only children once, I remember the day I stopeed believing in Santa, but I NEVER let my parents know and you bettcha I guided my children into believing too... Im 36 and you know what I still believe in Santa I have 4 children form 20 to 12 and they may not believe anymore but they have NEVER told me he isn't real... My mom passed away a few years ago and it was an AWESOME tradtion to keep going.. Happy times with family revolved around Christmas and Santa and she always told me there will always be Christmas... I still have gifts from Santa under the tree every year.....

Jonathan.... get a grip you believe in your religion let everyone else believe in theirs... You didn't write the bible, you weren't there none of us were... so who are you to depict what Jesus and God were in way of reglious beliefs..... Every book of god says something different.. You choose to follow the Jewish religion great... we chose to be a form of christianity and have Christmas!!!!

Catie 11-19-2009 @ 4:26PM

LAME. Why don't Operation Santa programs do effective scanning of their volunteers? There are websites available to enter the name of someone and check their criminal record. Some children have great moments few and far between in their lives and it would be such a shame to see other post offices and Operation Santa programs stop providing such a great moment for all the kids. Hopefully they can find an effective solution besides shutting down the programs.

Lanhamarts 11-19-2009 @ 4:26PM

I realize that AOL's "News Headlines" rotating images are intended to attract attention, just like any other newspaper, magazine or TV news "teaser," but the Postal Service does not need any more negative sounding headlines like, "No more letters to Santa" or the like. It just isn't true and it's misleading. I know many Postal employees who are committed to answering letters to Santa and no matter what changes take place in the program, they will not disappoint the children whose dreams are wrapped up in those letters. Please be more reassuring in your headline that the letters will be answered!

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