New rules for USPS' Operation Santa

The South New Jersey Courier Post Online reports, "On the advice of legal counsel, Santa Claus is changing the way he does business."

According to the report (which orginally appeared in USA Today)the Postal Service is changing its "Operation Santa" program, in which letters to Santa are answered by volunteers who grant the children's Yuletide wishes.

Reporter Larry Copeland writes,"For nearly 100 years, Postal Service employees have sorted through the Santa letters and passed many on to volunteers, charitable groups and corporations that want to help. Volunteers could call an 800 number to receive information on a deserving child or go online to answer the Santa letters."

This year, for the first time, those volunteers will have to present photo identification and sign a waiver releasing the Postal Service from liability for "all causes of action, claims, liens, rights or interests of any kind or type whatsoever."

Sue Brennan, a spokeswoman for the Postal Service, says the change was made "to protect the children and to protect the integrity of the program and the Postal Service."

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