Review: Dear Santa

If you celebrate Christmas, did you ever write a letter to Santa as a child? Maybe you have children who write letters addressed simply “Dear Santa, North Pole”. If so, do you wonder what happens to those letters? This beautiful documentary film, directed and written by Dana Nachman, explores this question by telling the story of the U.S Postal Service’s 100-year-old “Operation Santa” project.

The film opens with a group of endearing children talking about Santa: how he knows if they are naughty or nice, why they leave out cookies and carrots on Christmas Eve, and what they put in their letters to him. The letters from the children range from hilarious (my personal favorite is the child who wanted a dragon who was also a rainbow and wears a Wonder Woman outfit because…who wouldn’t?) to heartbreaking (one child just wished for her old books from her home that burned down).

The purpose of Operation Santa is to provide gifts to children and families who may not otherwise be able to receive them. People, or “elves” can read letters written to Santa and choose to adopt one or more of the letters. They then send or drop off the requested gifts either to an Operation Santa facility, or sometimes directly to the families themselves.  

Throughout the movie, the screen festively counts down the days until Christmas, and bounces around the different cities specifically featured in the film. We see Santa’s volunteer elves working selflessly and tirelessly to make families dreams come true. There are too many wonderful tales told to fully recount here. One is of a man who created a non-profit Operation Santa organization because he received a seemingly very simple gift from Operation Santa as a child that changed his life. Another is of a public school in Brighton Beach where each Christmas, every classroom chooses a letter to adopt so that the children can learn about compassion and how good it feels to help someone.  We also learn about a volunteer elf formerly from Paradise, CA where thousands of people lost their homes in a horrific wildfire. Having lost her own home (and along with it her prized toy collection), she is determined to do whatever she can to help others who suffered her same fate.

Dear Santa is filled with stories like the ones mentioned above. Although the film does center around Christmas and Santa, the message it sends applies to everyone, whether they celebrate Christmas or not. It is a beacon of hope. Proof that there is still kindness and compassion in the world. That it truly is better to give than to receive. That maybe, just maybe, we can all band together and help where needed. Sounds a little cheesy, right? But watch the movie and you will understand what I mean. Also, the film’s messages seem especially significant during our first Covid Holiday season.

Speaking of which, it was quite bittersweet watching strangers hug, children in classrooms with no social distancing, the streets of New York bustling with no masks in sight. Broadway theaters with patrons. The film really made me realize how much I had taken for granted, and still do. I cried happy tears when a family was elated to receive plates to eat on and a mattress so that no one had to sleep on the floor. In fact, I cried throughout a lot of this movie. Ultimately Dear Santa is more heartwarming than it is heartbreaking though.

There are many humorous moments interspersed throughout as well. Such as the scene where children explain the existence of mall Santa’s, and how you can tell a real Santa from a fake one (spoiler alert: it’s all in the shoes).

I do highly recommend Dear Santa. It is funny, thought-provoking, and tells a beautiful story about caring people. Although it is a film about a Christmas tradition, the overall message transcends that. I would certainly suggest having tissues on hand prior to viewing though.