Operation Santa brings out the holiday spirit in New Yorkers

Volume 2, Number 10 | The Weekly Newspaper of Chelsea | December 14 - 20, 2007

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Chelsea Now photos by Jefferson Siegel

Left: A participant in the U.S. Post Office’s Operation Santa gift program picks up his letters at the James A. Farley Building earlier this week. Right: Some participants stuck around the James A. Farley Building and read through stacks of letters from children and parents earlier this week, as part of the Post Office’s Operation Santa initiative.

Operation Santa brings out the holiday spirit in New Yorkers

By Shuka Kalantari

When the first week of December rolls around, Jacqueline Borges gets in her car for her two-hour drive to the post office. She then carefully reads through dozens of letters addressed to Santa Claus written by less-fortunate children and families.

“I like responding to the little kids’ letters,” said Borges. “Occasionally I answer the parents letters, too. Sometimes all they need is clothes or diapers for their kids.”

Borges is one of thousands of people who come to the James A. Farley Post Office at 421 8th Ave. to answer letters to Santa from approximately 500,000 poor children nation-wide. The program, Operation Santa Claus, started in 1912 when the post office decided that all letters addressed to Santa Claus or the North Pole would be received by the post office. Post office clerks originally responded to the letters, but as the program expanded, it was opened to the public.

Each December, a section of Manhattan’s central post office, the James A. Farley Building, in Mid-town, is transformed into the North Pole. Colorful pictures of smiling snowmen, flying reindeers and old St. Nick himself adorn the walls, and Christmas tunes play festively in the background for the thousands making their way to answer letters filled with holiday wish-lists.

Many opt to deliver the presents directly. Borges has been driving down from Orange County each Christmas Eve for the past 11 years to hand-deliver gifts to kids in the Bronx.

“Sometimes I’m asked to dress as Santa and hand out gifts with her,” laughed Carlos Alvez, her friend from the Bronx that accompanied Borges at the post office.

Borges handed Alvez half of the letters given to her by the staff and told him to read through them.

“Last year I delivered presents to twins,” Borges said as she shuffled through a pile of letters. “The mother asked for clothes for one kid and a bike for the other, but when we got there the other little boy started crying for a bike, so me and my friend went out and got him a bike, too!”

While some people, like Borges, meticulously read through each letter to find the most compelling ones, others grab the first bunch of letters they receive and head out the door.

Harlem resident Cynthia Wade quickly wrote down the names and addresses of the first 10 letters handed to her by the post office clerks.

“I don’t have a preference about who writes them; I’m just going to take all of these,” said Wade. “It’s about passing it one and paying it forward. I’ve been blessed in my life and want to give to others.”

The majority of the letters that arrive are from people in need in New York City.

Seven-year-old Griztko asked for new clothes for him and his sister, adding their shoe sizes at the bottom of the page.

“I have behaved so well at school and home,” Gritzko wrote. “Thank you dear Santa.”

Some letters are from parents asking for gifts for their children.

“I am a mother on disability, and I really can’t do much for my kids but pay bills and put food on the table,” a mother of two wrote. “Can you help me? They are good kids.”

Not all of the letters are sad; however, many of the requests are comical or letters appealing for flashy electronic accessories.

“Dear Santa, the only thing I want this year is the Apple iPhone…my mom won’t buy me one,” 13-year-old Emily wrote.

“Dear S.C., I want a HSM2 DVD, a HSM2 CD, a MP3 player…and some magic dust,” wrote Claudia, who also added a picture of elves working in Santa’s factory. “I will make you giant chocolate-chip cookies and extra hot chocolate. I will also leave you four apples and eight carrots. P.S. — Wake me up when you come.”

Pat McGovern, the post office’s spokesperson, said that some people just write a letter back to the children or send another gift instead.

The number of letters rolling in has increased throughout the years, but the numbers of responses have yet to catch up.

“Less than 70,000 of the 500,000 letters were answered last year,” said McGovern.

Those who do respond must present a valid photo I.D. in order to read the children’s letters.

“Sometimes tourists come and take letters, too,” said McGovern. “It gives people a nice feeling to be able to help someone in need.”

When the letters to Santa start coming in each year, more than a dozen post office clerks from throughout the city sort and divide them according to borough, state and language, giving people the chance to chose what neighborhoods they want to help out.

Adorned in an elf’s hat, Patrick Fratello usually works at the post office near Times Square, but he’s been volunteering for Operation Santa at the central post office for the past two years.

“We get here three weeks before to sort all the letters,” Fratello said, gesturing to the clerks in sequined Santa hats. “I dress as a Santa’s helper.”

Operation Santa gives people a chance to directly help those less fortunate. Rosemarie Dicristo takes a one-hour train from Queens each year to answer children’s letters.

She described a letter she read from a grandmother asking for gifts for her three grandchildren.

“She just asked for socks, underwear…just basic clothing items,” said Decristo. “A lot of people out there aren’t making a lot of money and can’t buy gifts. I can. I’m able to do it, and so I like to help out.”