Santa Letters

SANTA LETTERS

Everyone knows #Santa Claus’s address. It’s “The North Pole.” And each year, since 1954 tiny Alaskan town of North Pole (population 2100) receives around 120,000 letters from around the world. Even letters without stamps are delivered, a rare exception for the U.S. Postal Service. Those that have return addresses usually get a reply and a “North Pole” postmark in a community effort that has brought smiles to kids faces for decades. But not this year…
Last year, a postal worker in Maryland recognized an Operation Santa volunteer there as a registered sex offender, and the Postal Service viewed the episode as a big enough scare to tighten rules in such programs nationwide.
People in North Pole are incensed and I am too. I say, STOP THIS GRINCH MADNESS! It’s as easy as CHECKING “THE LIST” TWICE before giving someone a volunteer role! Don’t punish the kids or a town with holiday spirit because of one $&^#!
In an effort to re-warm my heart, I’ll tell you my favorite story out of North Pole. A few years back a letter arrived with a Michigan postmark and no postage stamp. Inside the envelope was a thousand-dollar money order and an anonymous note that said: “If you are who you say you are, you’ll put this to good use.” The money bought a lot of stamps. Now, that’s the kind of Christmas we need, right this very minute.