The Post Office helps Santa out and answers some of his
letters.

[view:node_ad=5]Every year thousands of kids write letters to Santa and send them to the North Pole with the hope of getting what they wished for.  Sometimes these letters are funny and cute and other times they reflect the real needs of children and their families.

The US Postal Service receives letters to Santa every year and since 1912 they have been helping by answering the letters of families in need.

"We make letters written to Santa available to the public," said Richard Maher a spokesman for the USPS.  "People can come in and be Santa's helpers and adopt a letter to answer someone's wishes."

Many of the letters are from children who ask for necessities like food, clothes and school supplies, but some are written from parents looking for a Christmas miracle to help their family.

Santa was at the USPS's Sierra Coastal District office in Castaic Tuesday morning and read some of the letters.  One from a little girl says, "I'm thankful that we still have a house and a warm bed to sleep in at night, but going to bed on an empty stomach hurts.  It hurts because I hear my two little sisters cry and can't sleep because they are hungry. "

Anne Bergman chose a letter written from a mother.  "It's always very touching to see the kids ask for things for their little brothers and sister."

The Postal Service allows the volunteers, who are referred to as Santa's helpers, to come in and pick letters to adopt.  Santa's helpers then provide the goods asked for in the letter and deliver them to the family on behalf of the big man himself.

Maher says that the Postal Service has seen a rise in the number of letters asking for assistance and attributes it to the state of the economy. 

The facility in Castaic receives letters from the Santa Clarita, Antelope and the San Fernando Valley. Santa's Helpers can come in Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to choose letters and families to help.