Dear Santa

(USA / 2020 / Directed by Dana Nachman)

Each year, hundreds of thousands of letters to Santa arrive at Post Offices around the country. Through Operation Santa, a 100-year-old program designed by the USPS, the public can safely adopt these letters and make children’s dreams come true. Dear Santa invites audiences along for the magic of this massive endeavor.

Traveling the country, much like Santa does on Christmas Eve, the film focuses on a range of Operation Santa centers – from those in metropolitan areas like the massive operation in New York City to others in small towns where the post office is at the heart of the community. As they write letters asking for everything from toys and games to guitars and science experiments, children also ask for things that are more poignant, that go beyond the common wish for something tangible. Volunteers answer these children by explaining how Santa enlists kind-hearted strangers across the country for certain special requests while he concentrates on toy making and his demanding delivery schedule. Capturing the warmth and spirit of Christmastime through the lens of a great American tradition, Dear Santa shares the stories of people making the world a better place and encourages us to ask ourselves how we can do the same, one gesture at a time.

Unrated / 1 hr 24 mins.