How to mail gifts to a family whose letter you adopted

19,000 US Postal branches offer “label broker” service and can scan the barcoded shipping label on your package.

Your barcoded label printed out when you printed the letter to Santa you adopted.

Packages must be mailed by December 18th to be delivered in time for Christmas, but they will still be accepted at post offices until mid-January.

December 18th is also the last day to adopt letters to Santa.

To find the nearest postal branch to you that offers the “Label broker” service needed to scan your shipping label and mail your gifts, click here — but read the below first.

When you get to the post office with your packages, if your clerk is not familiar with the label broker service, ask for their supervisor or the branch manager.

Some postal workers are not familiar with the less-used Label broker service. Be patient and politely ask for their manager. Remember, you catch more flies with honey!

DO NOT add postage to your package before taking it to the post office! If you do, you will be refused service after waiting in line. USPS® employees are not permitted to place postage on packages without an address.

Your barcoded mailing label should first be scanned by the clerk, who will then print out the label with the family name and address and apply it to your package. You will not be permitted to view the address, to protect kids’ privacy.

Once this is done, purchase the postage and mail your gifts.

If you’re a parent struggling financially

If you’re seeking gifts for your children, please see our SEEKING GIFTS? page.

Thank you for being an Elf!

All elves should check out our How to volunteer page, where you’ll see tips like, Organize your friends for a holiday Elf gathering and share the fun, the work, and the cost.

If you don’t have time to adopt a letter and buy gifts this year, please Donate. Your gift to Be An Elf is tax-deductible, and our all-volunteer group uses some of our donations to send Target gift cards to the families we adopt.

We enclose a card marked only, “This is for your kids. From Santa,” and trust the moms to buy gifts their kids most need, like clothes, school supplies, as well as the toys they want. We have faith in the Moms!

Sending gift cards has enabled us to adopt many more Santa letters than previously.

Please read our How to volunteer page for ideas for volunteering for this wonderful USPS® tradition during the holidays.