Correios Brazil’s Santa Claus campaign is launched in Sao Paulo
On the morning of Wednesday the 14th of November, President of Correios Brasil, Wagner Pinheiro de Oliveira, and regional director of Sao Paulo, Abadio Wilson de Oliveira, officially launched the Santa Claus campaign by the Post Office in the historic company building, in the state capital. Representatives of ECT (Empresa Brasileira de Correios e Telégrafos) handed the key of the house to Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus in the presence of employees, customers and press. The regional director of the Post Office in São Paulo, Joseph Faro Valencia, also attended the unveiling of the inaugural ribbon of the house.
One of the highlights of the event was when Clemilson Noble, son of ECT employeee Noble Maria Santana, made a brief speech. The boy wrote to Santa Claus Post Office last year asking for the realization of his dream of playing football. The boy received his wish and is now training at Palmeiras Football Club. “I am very grateful to Santa Claus and the post office. I’ll always believe in you, Santa Claus, who lives within the hearts of people, “he said.
The campaign is a social action and letters intended for Santa are answered and many applications are sponsored. The goal is to keep the magic of Christmas and encourage volunteerism and solidarity among employees and society, and promote the development of skills of letter writing, addressing and postal code and use the postage stamp by letter to Santa Claus.
Thus, the project aligns to one of the Millennium Development Goals established by the United Nations (UN): which is to achieve universal primary education for all.
Each year, millions of children write to Santa Claus. Most of the letters received comes from poor communities, schools, daycare centres and shelters.
How does it work? The letters sent by children are read and selected by helpers. They are then available for adoption at the home of Santa Claus or other units of the Post. Gifts relating to the letters are supplied by sponsors in points disclosed by mail and delivery is made by ECT. Direct delivery is not allowed and hence the recipients address is not disclosed to the sponsor. Dates of the campaign, which can vary in each state, and other official information about the Santa Claus Post Office can be obtained at the official website of Correios.
