Operation Santa Claus Prepares for 70th Year of Holiday Giving

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – This year marks the 70th anniversary of Operation Santa Claus, a program dedicated to spreading holiday cheer across Alaska’s remote villages. The initiative will see volunteers from the Alaska National Guard and the Salvation Army travel to five different communities: Nanwalek, Stevens Village, Rampart, Angoon, and Wales.

In preparation, volunteers based in Anchorage have been busy wrapping hundreds of gifts for every child in the targeted areas. These presents, along with various stocking stuffers and festive treats, will be personally delivered by Santa Claus, who will make his entrance via a C-130 aircraft or a Chinook helicopter instead of the customary sleigh with reindeer. The festive flights are scheduled to arrive in late November and early December.