![\"Sforza's](\"https:\/\/wpdash.medianewsgroup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/op-santa-.jpg\")
<\/a>Sforza\u2019s 2025 Operation Santa offerings<\/p>\nReaders may know we\u2019ve long been charmed by Operation Santa,<\/a> wherein the U.S. Postal Service recruits everyday elves like ourselves to spread holiday cheer.<\/p>\n Every year, little kids \u2014 and, heart-wrenchingly, some older sorts who are struggling and can\u2019t quite make holiday magic on their own \u2014 write letters to Santa detailing their wishes, desires and struggles. And, every year, stand-in Santas, such as yours truly, choose a letter to \u201cadopt\u201d and do our best to fulfill some of the material-type wishes therein.<\/p>\n The goodies zip off via USPS, in boxes that arrive at strangers\u2019 homes bearing a \u201cNorth Pole\u201d stamp. We love imagining the excitement as folks open those boxes! It seems to be everything that the holidays are about, no?<\/p>\n Anyway, we got to wondering. Where do these Santa\u2019s helpers come from, exactly? And where do the magic boxes go?<\/p>\n We asked USPS for data on same, and USPS furnished it with surprising swiftness.<\/p>\n Now \u2014 with the full understanding that California is the most populous state in the nation with some 39.5 million people \u2014 we can tell you that more than 5,900 Californians adopted letters through Operation Santa<\/a>!<\/p>\n Texas \u2014 population 31 million \u2014 had way less than half as many Santas, at about 2,600.<\/p>\n Florida \u2014 population 21 million \u2014 had slightly more Santas than Texas, at about 2,660. Which makes it not as generous as California but way more generous than Texas.<\/p>\n Still, most of the letters sent go unanswered. Almost 276,000 letters were received last year; only 34,000 were adopted.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a big leap from 2020, when 189,000 letters were received. Which was a tremendous leap from 2019, when only 62,000 letters were received.<\/p>\n The economy doesn\u2019t appear to be improving for everyone.<\/p>\n California giving<\/p>\n In the Golden State, the cities with the most Stand-in-Santas were, as you\u2019d expect, the cities with the most people. Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose and Oakland topped the heap.<\/p>\n Smaller cities like Glendale, Long Beach, Riverside, Anaheim, Bakersfield, Pasadena, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach and Fullerton may or may not have punched above their weight.<\/p>\n In Orange County, there were 548 Stand-in-Santas, stretching from Brea and Yorba Linda all the way down to San Clemente and Dana Point. This is heartening, as a postal clerk told us we were the only ones to send an Operation Santa box from our local post office (surprising in itself because we mailed it two days after the suggested cut-off date; creatures of deadlines, we are). Turns out that five other families from my town did Santa a good turn as well.<\/p>\n (Around here, the tree is still up and the wreath still adorns the front door. Judge not lest ye be judged!)<\/p>\n<\/a>California cities with the most Stand-in-Santas (USPS data)<\/p>\n<\/a>Screenshot of Operation Santa Letter (USPS)<\/p>\n