Post Office Keeps Christmas Moving

Some of the busiest people at Christmas are not Santa or his elves, but the staff at the local post office.

"It's super, super busy," said Joyce Maurer,  Officer-In-Charge of the Emmaus Post Office.

It's not just cards, said post office supervisor Qiana Reid. A lot of presents get shipped out this time of year, such as candy and toys. She also said overseas delivery is much more frequent because people will ship gifts to family and friends that they cannot get abroad.

Mauer said it is also common for people to try to send bottles of wine to their friends for Christmas, but the post office has to turn them down because alcohol is illegal to send via U.S. mail.

The most important part of sending mail during the holidays, said Maurer, is to always mail early. "Our parcel volume is really high, our letter volume picks up this time of year because of Christmas cards," she said. "It takes longer to sort through things and get to the carriers and get it out onto the road because the volume is a lot higher."

It is best to send packages as early in the day as you can, said Maurer. The volume of mail this time of year means carriers need to make several trips to collect parcels and process them as quickly and efficiently as possible. Putting your package or card in the mail earlier gives it a better chance of hitting the road that same day.

Harriet Palomba, Post Master Relief at the Old Zionsville Post Office, said to package gifts well and make sure gifts are not sent in flimsy boxes. She also suggested making use of the post office's priority flat-rate boxes as a cost-efficient way to deliver items in 2-3 days.

Despite the festivity of the season, Maurer recommended against using strings or bows on a package as they can interfere with post office machinery and delay the sending of the package. She also said senders should make certain their package is sealed before sending it as it will take the post office additional time to clean up any spilled contents.

And though it sounds obvious, she said to make sure to double check the mailing address and return address on all packages.

Even with the increased workload, Reid said everybody is very pleasant during the holidays. "It's the most cheerful time of year. A little stressful, but all and all everybody is pretty happy," she said.

With nearly 16 billion items are sent through the mail every holiday season, it's important to do everything you can to ensure your package's safe delivery.

Here are some additional mailing tips from the U.S. Post Office.

• Cushion items with bubble wrap and foam peanuts so they do not shift during transit.
• Wrap each item separately when packing more than one item in the same box.
• Remove batteries from electronic devices and wrap separately.
• Always use tape designed for sealing shipping boxes. Do not use string, cellophane or masking tape to seal packages.
• Use new boxes when possible. When reusing a box make sure previous labels and markings are covered before mailing.
• Place an extra address label with the delivery and return address inside the package. This ensures the safe return of an item that could not be delivered should the outside label become damaged or fall off.
• Packages can weigh up to 70 lbs. and measure up to 130 inches in combined length and width. Make sure the width is measured around the largest point of the package.

 The Postal Service recommends the following mail-by dates to ensure your gift arrives on time:

o   Dec. 4 — Military mail destined for Iraq or Afghanistan

o   Dec. 15 — Parcel Post

o   Dec. 20 — First-Class Mail

o   Dec. 21 — Priority Mail, "the best bargain in shipping"

o   Dec. 22 — Express Mail