It's the season for giving, and NY1's Susan Juhn filed this report on how the post office's Operation Santa has helped turn New York residents into local Kris Kringles.

Cris Cottes is used to hearing the ripping sound of a letter opening at Christmas time.

As a participant in the post office's "Operation Santa Claus," Cris picks several "Dear Santa" letters every year. And like scores of others, the process has turned Cris into a local Kris Kringle.

"After four or five years it seems like it's been like a word of mouth that I'm the new Santa," says Cottes.

Maybe it's because his name is Cris, or maybe it's because of his generous spirit. But whatever the case, this Secret Santa says he now receives more than 200 letters a year.

"One year the post office held my mail because they thought I was just some guy getting mail from Santa Claus or something," he says.

Cris says the number of letters he receives asking for presents grows every year, and that he now receives letters from other states. The sympathetic soul has taken to asking his mother and friends to help out just so no child will go without a present.

But as much as he enjoys playing Santa, Cris says that the undertaking has become more than he can handle. That's why he recommends that children who wish to write to Santa address their letters to the real Santa Klaus instead of an individual like Cris.

"Once someone receives too many letters, they might disregard them and they'll be a lot more children not getting their gifts," Cris explains.

Letters addressed to Santa Claus end up in the "Dear Santa" bin in the main post office in Manhattan, where they're parceled out to volunteers who respond to the letters or send out gifts.

The post office says if a volunteer wants to remain anonymous when sending a gift, they should use the return address of Operation Santa. Then, if the package is returned for non-delivery, the Operation Santa staff can locate the contributor through the recipient's name.

The return address for Operation Santa is:

James A. Farley Building
Operation Santa
421 Eight Avenue
New York, NY 10199

Volunteers interested in answering "Dear Santa" letters can inquire at that address, or call 1-877-840-0459.

- Susan Jhun

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