PUBLICITY KIT

Holiday 2003 - No One Will Work Harder or Go Farther to Keep Us All Connected

This year's holiday theme, This Holiday Season, No One Will Work Harder or Go Farther to Keep Us All Connected, holds true for how our Public Affairs and Communications Field Communications team stands ready to help you connect with the media to publicize our messaging for the holidays.

Publicity Tips

1. Use the sample news releases included in this kit or develop your own. Send the completed releases to local newspapers, radio, and television stations. Several days after mailing your release, follow up with a phone call to the local reporter, editor, or news director.

2. Plan special events to get media attention. Special events could include:

• Hosting a wrapping demonstration in the Post OfficeTM lobby.

• Holding a Happy Holidays customer appreciation event to kick off the holiday mailing season. Feature gift ideas at the Post Office as well as mailing tips to avoid holiday glitches.

3. Call local radio and television news and talk show producers. Offer to be a guest on programs airing before Christmas to discuss mailing deadlines, proper addressing and packaging, and the holiday gifts available at your Post Office and the new Postal Store online at www.usps.com/shop.

4. Invite radio and television to:

• Conduct a "live remote" broadcast on December 15 - the busiest mailing day.

• Deliver mail with a carrier on December 17 - the busiest delivery day of the year.

• Accompany employees on their routes, dressed as "Santa's helpers," delivering Express Mail® items on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (if applicable).

5. Direct reporters and editors to the Holiday Guide on www.usps.com/holiday; click on pdf or txt under "USPS® Holiday Guide." Consider making copies of the Holiday Guide available to your Post Office lobby customers, as well.

In this year's publicity kit, you will find important mailing information that you can share with our customers. The kit emphasizes the convenience that the Postal ServiceTM provides as a one-stop shop for all the delivery needs of harried holiday shoppers. It also offers mailing tips, extended hours, correct addressing, alternative locations to buy stamps, and a complete list of features available at our 24-hour Post Office at www.usps.com.

Mail's Importance to America

The Postal Service is one of the foundations of the nation's infrastructure. It is the lynchpin of the $900 billion mailing industry that employs 9 million people. And it is the one agency of our national government that has a daily presence in virtually every community in the nation - from the smallest towns to our largest cities.

2003 Holiday Season Outlook

• The domestic Christmas holiday mailing season lasts from Thanksgiving through December. We expect Americans to mail the same amount of cards, letters, and packages this year as last year, approximately 20 billion pieces.

• Americans typically address their greeting cards the weekend before Christmas week. As Christmas falls on a Thursday this year, the Postal Service expects Monday, December 15, to be the busiest mailing day of the year for cards and letters with more than 280 million cards and letters being cancelled. Two days later, Wednesday, December 17, is estimated be the busiest delivery day of the year. Monday, December 22, is also expected to be a busy day this year.

• On an average day from October through December, the Postal Service receives about 100 million letters and cards nationwide. This number is expected to increase to 150 million a day between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

• Encourage our customers to mail early to prevent a backup of mail during Christmas week.

• To ensure delivery in time for the holidays, suggest that customers switch from Parcel Post® service to Priority Mail® service on Monday, December 15, and then suggest that they use Express Mail® service beginning Monday, December 22.

• To move the large volumes of mail during the holiday season, we will expand the use of FedEx's air cargo network. We are expanding our ground transportation network by creating direct routes between major metropolitan areas.

• Thanks to advances in mail processing technology, the number of holiday hires is expected to be minimal. The decision to hire holiday help is made locally.

Letters to Santa

While there is no national Letters to Santa program, some Post Offices make Santa letters available to individuals upon request, while other Post Offices provide Santa letters to volunteer organizations. New York City is typically recognized as hosting the largest Letters to Santa campaign. The Postal Service is committed to keeping this important holiday tradition alive. After all, it was in 1912 that Postmaster General Frank H. Hitchcock authorized local postmasters to allow individuals or institutions to use letters addressed to Santa Claus for philanthropic purposes.

Remind customers that volunteers who read Santa letters appreciate it if children include their return address on Santa letters. It is also appreciated that the contents of letters be limited to letter-size paper only. We also recommend against placing cookies, candy canes, or other bulky items in the letters because it could damage sorting equipment.

Operation Dear Abby and "Any Service Member" Mail Suspended

The Operation Dear Abby program, founded by the newspaper advice columnist, has delivered mail to U.S. service members overseas during the holiday season for nearly 20 years.

Shortly after September 11, 2001, and the anthrax attacks, the Department of Defense (DOD) suspended the program and the use of mail addresses such as "Any Service Member," "Any Soldier," "Any Marine, Sailor," etc. because of concerns about the risk of mail being introduced into the mail system from unknown sources. These programs remain suspended.

Many well-meaning Americans have circumvented this prohibition by mailing bulk quantities of cards, letters, and care packages to individual service members. Unfortunately, this can clog the military's mail system and slow its ability to deliver items from loved ones.

The DOD instead recommends funneling these positive energies into supporting service member families at , or other local programs. For individuals still wishing to support our military overseas, the DOD recommends visiting www.defendamerica.mil (click on Support Our Troops) or www.operationuplink.org or calling the Military Postal Service Agency's toll-free number at 800-810-6098 to find other alternatives to support service members.

Helping You Leverage the Holidays

Postal Service retail units offer customers many advantages during the busy holiday period. Spread the news: Your Post Office provides more than stamps. The availability of packaging materials makes mailing easy, convenient, and affordable.

Use this kit to share important holiday mailing information through your local news media and generate positive publicity for your office's activities. This kit provides materials needed to distribute news releases on product and service promotions, extended hours, options for buying stamps, stocking-stuffer gifts, and helpful tips on package wrapping and correct addressing.

Take advantage of the opportunity to talk with news reporters. This is the one time of year that the news media are eager to discuss mailing options and deadlines, Santa letters, and other caring activities that involve your employees.

For additional information and coordination on all media activities, contact the Area Public Affairs and Communications representative who covers your performance cluster.

Holiday 2003 Campaign Featuring the Cat in the Hat

The Cat in the Hat is part of a tie-in with the upcoming holiday movie scheduled to be released nationwide November 21. Next year, the Postal Service will honor the Cat in the Hat creator Theodor Geisel with a commemorative stamp. Geisel - better known as Dr. Seuss - is the creator of many classic children's books, including The Cat in the Hat, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and Horton Hears a Who.

The Postal Service holiday campaign kicked off in Post Office lobbies on October 18. Who's behind this campaign? The Cat in the Hat, of course. The bewhiskered Dr. Seuss creation is helping Postal Service customers choose the services they need - Express Mail®, Global Express MailTM ReadyPost® mailing products, NetPostTM online services, or new Priority Mail® bundles.

Priority Mail bundles are special services (Delivery ConfirmationTM, Insurance, or both) that allow customers to "bundle" their Priority Mail packages, with a method similar to fast food ordering.

The Cat in the Hat is doing "stand-up" in 12,000 retail lobbies. A four-foot replica (or "Standee") of the whimsical creature "greets" customers at these Post Offices and reminds them about the Priority Mail bundles.

Want to see more of the Cat in the Hat? Check out the in-store point-of-purchase (POP) materials at: http://blue.usps.gov/corporate/realtime/retail.html. Between November 1 and January 1, 2004, the cat's mischievous grin is appearing as a postmark on cards and letters that are processed through automation.

Holiday 2003 Promotional Materials

Every postmaster was mailed a monthly calendar and a communications kit that included Holiday 2003 retail lobby signs. For the Holiday Drive Period, POP materials will feature Dr. Seuss' the Cat in the Hat characters and introduce new POP elements like an innovative pop-up Standee. The timing of the campaign will coincide with the movie release and will focus on the following three new initiatives:

• Priority Mail bundles (combining Priority Mail with additional services such as Insurance as a con- venient way to offer value-added services to customers).

• A Standee.

• A sweepstakes with MasterCard®. The tonality of the holiday campaign is fun, whimsical, and extremely attention-grabbing! These promotional materials should now be on display in all Post Offices. Postmasters needing additional promotional materials may call the Holiday 2003 Hotline at 888-999-6623.

eBay "Secret Santa" Promotion in Post Offices

As a separate promotion, the Postal Service is helping eBay, the online marketplace, play "Secret Santa" this holiday season. Beginning November 13 through December 18, eBay's Secret Santa Gift Exchange will be promoted in Post Offices located in eBay's top 10 U.S. markets:

Atlanta
Boston-Manchester
Chicago
Dallas-Ft. Worth
Los Angeles
New York
Philadelphia
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
Seattle-Tacoma
Washington, D.C. (Hagerstown)

Posters invite customers to start or join a Secret Santa group on eBay and exchange gifts with family and friends. Everyone who participates may be eligible to win one of 100 $25 eBay gift certificates awarded daily in random drawings.

Secret Santa is a holiday gift-giving activity where a participant gets the eBay user name of someone to buy for, but won't know who got his or her user name until the secret is revealed. The posters encourage gift-givers to ship their holiday presents with USPS® - a featured shipper on eBay.

Holiday 2003 Advertising Campaign

In the Holiday "Connected" Campaign, a 30-second television ad will remind customers that no one works harder to keep them connected during the holidays. The ad will air on network and cable news, sports, and entertainment programming. Employees appearing in the ad were selected because their performance cluster - the New Hampshire District - ranked number one in the nation for customer satisfaction. You will also see the Postal Service's holiday television ads while you're watching the Thanksgiving Day parade, which also features a Postal Service float.

Holiday print ads will appear in publications and newspapers such as Entertainment Weekly, National Geographic, Newsweek, and USA Today. The ads will reinforce the "Connected" holiday campaign by linking consumers' needs with convenient products and services offered by the Postal Service.

See the TV and prints ads - and the schedule of when and where they'll appear - at http://blue.usps.gov/corporate/realtime/retail.html.

The Postal Store at www.usps.com/shop

The Postal Store is online at www.usps.com/shop. The Postal Store offers customers the speed and convenience of secure online shopping for Postal Service products 24 hours a day to purchase stamps and philatelic items.

The Postal Store can help reduce lobby lines. By promoting the shop-at- convenience of the Postal Store, you will enhance customer satisfaction and improve operational efficiency, while still getting credit for sales. Online sales are credited back to Post Offices based on the 5-digit ZIP CodeTM of the customer's billing address.

Stationery and apparel items are offered for the same price as at Postal Service retail stores, plus a charge for shipping and handling. Stamp orders are handled through the Stamp Fulfillment Services center.

From the page of www.usps.com, click the Send Mail & Packages link to access mailing and shipping options, the postage calculator, and options for costs for mailing letters and packages.

Key Holiday Season Messages

• We are providing convenience for our customers this holiday season, making their hectic shopping season simpler with convenient services and gifts.

• Use the Post Office where you're always first in line, 24/7 - www.usps.com. There you can look up ZIP Codes and find and get directions to Post Office locations.

• Click-N-ShipTM is our easy-to-use online shipping label feature at www.usps.com. You can print and pay for labels with postage using your credit card, PC, and printer; calculate rates; find ZIP Codes; validate and save addresses; and print labels without postage - all in one convenient location.

• Reduce long lines by promoting alternative outlets for stamp purchases. In addition to Post Office lobbies, stamps are available through the Postal Store Web site at www.usps.com/shop, and at more than 60,000 locations where other shopping is conducted, such as drug stores and supermarkets, and at more than 17,000 ATMs.

• With the growth in Internet shopping, remind customers of the value of Priority Mail shipping and suggest they request it from their e-tailer for their online gift purchases.

• Direct customers to www.usps.com/holiday; click on pdf or txt under "USPS® Holiday Guide."

Holiday 2003 Stamps

In October 2003, the U.S. Postal Service® issued its 2003 Holiday and Christmas series stamps:

• The Holiday Music Makers stamps feature two images of whimsical Santas and two equally fanciful reindeer. Playing horns, panpipes, and a drum, these lighthearted, colorful music makers bring to mind the many joys of the season.

• The Christmas - Madonna and Child stamp is a reissue of the 2002 37-cent stamp depicting artist Jan Gossaert's serene oil-on-panel painting Madonna and Child (circa 1520) reformatted as a double- sided convertible booklet.

Three stamps in the Holiday Celebrations series (the 37-cent Eid, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa stamps) and the 37-cent Holiday Snowmen stamp (issued in 2002) are also available this holiday season.

2003 Holiday Stamps Inventory

Holiday 2003 Mailing Tips

Following is advice for customers on how to avoid glitches affecting delivery of their holiday mailings. Be sure to use them when speaking with the media.

Addressing Tips

• Write, type, or print the complete address neatly.

• Always use a complete return address.

• Always provide complete street address information, such as AVE, BLVD, and ST. Always use the apartment or suite number as well as correct directionals such as N, W, and SW.

• Don't let an incorrect ZIP Code create a glitch in timely delivery of cards and letters. Local Post Offices and the Postal Service Web site - www.usps.com - offer ZIP Code information. (For Post Offices covered by the National Call Centers, you can also publicize the toll-free number.)

Packaging Tips

• Select a box that's strong enough to protect the contents. Leave space for cushioning inside the carton.

• Cushion the contents of the package with shredded or rolled newspaper, bubble wrap, or Styrofoam peanuts. Plain air-popped popcorn is also good for cushioning: It's inexpensive and environmentally friendly, and you can string leftover popcorn for holiday decoration.

• Always use tape that is designed for shipping, such as pressure-sensitive tape, nylon-reinforced craft paper tape, or glass-reinforced pressure-sensitive tape. Never use string or twine to secure a package.

• The only addresses on packages for mailing should be the delivery and return addresses. Since improperly wrapped packages sometimes fall apart during shipment, it's a good idea to include a card with a return address and a description of the items in the package.

• Carefully pack glass and fragile hollow items, like vases, with newspaper or packing material to avoid damage due to shock. When mailing framed photographs, take the glass out of the frame and wrap it separately.

• Remove batteries from toys. Wrap and place them next to the toys in the mailing box.

• Packages that weigh at least 1 pound must be presented at the retail counter of the Post Office for mailing.

Holiday 2003 Special Tips

• Save time by purchasing packaging materials, including boxes and padding materials at your local Post Office. Express Mail and Priority Mail boxes, envelopes, and tubes are free.

• Remove all irrelevant package markings and labels before reusing a box for mailing. The Post Office will not accept parcels if markings visibly indicate that the box was used for shipping hazardous material. Wrapping boxes to cover markings is not sufficient. If the wrapping is damaged and markings become visible, the package will be returned to the mailer.

• Access the Postal Service's Web site - www.usps.com - for postage calculations, Post Office locations, ZIP Code lookup, plus stamps and unique gifts at the online Postal Store.

• Avoid waiting in line to purchase holiday stamps by using Stamps By PhoneTM (800-STAMP-24), Stamps By Mail®, Postal Service vending machines, or go online to the Postal Store at www.usps.com/shop.

• Express Mail service offers guaranteed delivery service 365 days a year, including all weekends and holidays. The overnight delivery money-back guarantee typically applies to local area delivery and for delivery to major metropolitan areas where timely air transportation connections are available. Express Mail service to all other areas is offered with a 2-day guarantee. While the Postal Service will accept items for Express Mail delivery on Christmas Day, customers are asked to check with their local Post Office for details.

• For procrastinators shipping domestically, we offer Priority Mail service, which gets packages to their destinations on average in 2-3 days. It's a great buy starting at $3.85 for up to 1 pound. For $13.65 for up to 8 ounces, we also have Express Mail service that gets mail to most major cities overnight.

• Want to know when your package was delivered? Delivery Confirmation service is available for Priority Mail and Parcel Post shipments. For a 45-cent fee (for Priority Mail service), customers receive a tracking number and can retrieve delivery information through the Postal Service Internet address or a toll-free telephone number. Delivery Confirmation for Parcel Post is 55 cents.

• Shopping online? Don't forget to request the best- value shipping solution, Priority Mail service, from your online retailer for all of your holiday gifts.

We offer five international service options based on speed and price. Delivery times are based on the number of business days specified for each service depending on origin and destination. For example, a package mailed from New York to Beijing will take longer than a package from New York to London.

• 2-3 days: Global Express Guaranteed® service. Customers who need guaranteed day-certain delivery, generally within 2-3 days, and need to track an item should take advantage of Global Express Guaranteed service. It's delivered to more than 200 countries with rates for documents starting at $24.00 for 1/2 pound, with package rates starting at $36.00 for 1 pound. There's an automatic 5% discount on Global Express Guaranteed packages shipped when postage is paid through Click-N- Ship, the USPS online shipping service.

• 3-5 Days: Global Express MailTM service. For a perfect balance between speed and price, without having a need for a guaranteed delivery date, Global Express Mail service is the answer. Designed for delivery within 3-5 days to more than 190 countries, depending on distance, Global Express Mail service has on-line tracking to more than 60 countries with prices starting at $15.50 for 1/2 pound. Global Express Mail is also available through Click- N-Ship, the USPS online shipping service.

• 4-6 Days: Global Priority Mail® service. For the look and feel of an expedited global service at a lower cost, Global Priority Mail service is designed to be delivered within 4-6 days to 51 major countries. For customer convenience, the service is available in two attractive flat rate envelopes. Small envelope prices start at $4.00 with large envelopes priced at $7.00 and $9.00 respectively for items going to Canada and Mexico and the rest of the world. Global Priority Mail shipments can also be made in an attractive box or large tyvek envelope at country zone rates. Customers can use their own packaging, also at zone rates, by adding the Global Priority Mail sticker. This service, limited to items weighing up to 4 pounds, receives priority handling.

• 4-7 Days: Global Airmail® service. Global Airmail service mails a standard letter or package and is delivered to virtually every country in the world and is designed to be delivered within 4-7 days for letters, and up to 10 days for parcels. Items travel by air and are delivered as First-Class Mail® service. Special services that can be purchased include a return receipt for letter-post items, and insurance for Parcel Post items. Each item must be marked Airmail/Par Avion. Prices start at 60-cents for a 1-ounce letter and $13.00 for a 1-pound parcel.

• 4-6 Weeks: Global EconomyTM service. For customers who feel that cost is the issue rather than delivery time, Global Economy service is most economical. To most of the world this means transport by ship from the U.S. to the destination country. Once in the destinating country, the item is moved by truck, rail, or other mode of surface transportation to the recipient. This service is designed to be delivered within 4-6 weeks. There is a 1-pound minimum weight rate for letters starting at $2.70, and a 5-pound minimum weight rate for packages starting at $15.25.

Holiday 2003 News Releases

If you need assistance, review the following list and forward requests directly to your Public Affairs and Communications representative - preferably by e-mail. Be sure to include local media contacts when forwarding requests. Following is a listing of news releases and subject matter:

- Public Affairs, Public Affairs and Communications, 11-13-03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [INSERT YOUR NAME]
[INSERT DATE] [INSERT YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
Internet: www.usps.com

POST OFFICE WORKS HARDER, GOES FARTHER, TO KEEP EVERYONE CONNECTED

[CITY, STATE] - The [CITY] Post OfficeTM has prepared for your holidays and is ready to take care of [CITY'S] resident's mailing needs this season.

"About 20 billion cards, letters and packages will be mailed nationwide between November 29 and December 31. This translates to about 150 million cards and letters a day, compared with 100 million on an average day," said Postmaster [FULL NAME]. "Here in [CITY], we anticipate delivering additional [NUMBER] pieces of cards, letters and packages during this time."

To move large volumes of mail nationwide, the U.S. Postal Service® has added more transportation and equipment, and where needed, more temporary holiday employees [IF APPLICABLE]. With upgrades to mail processing technology, more handwritten cards and letters are "read" and sorted by automation than ever before.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [INSERT YOUR NAME]
[INSERT DATE] [INSERT YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
Internet: www.usps.com

POST OFFICE ASKS CUSTOMERS TO MAIL EARLY

[CITY, STATE] - With the volumes of cards, letters and packages expected to balloon with the countdown to the holidays, [CITY] Postmaster [NAME] advises customers to mail early. "Our goal is to deliver increased holiday mail volumes at our normal year-round service levels to keep your holidays special," says [NAME]. "Although we have taken extra measures to handle the added volume, we are asking customers to mail early to avoid a backup of mail the last days before Christmas."

U.S. Postal Service® customers will bring nearly 20 billion mail pieces to Post OfficesTM during the holiday season, from November 29 to December 31.

Postmaster [LAST NAME] said that customers can help speed Post Office transactions by providing retail associates with full information on packages, such as requirements for Insurance, Delivery ConfirmationTM and desired time for package arrival.

Other helpful mailing tips to avoid glitches include:

• Write, type or print the delivery address neatly.

• Always use a return address.

• Always use complete address information, such as AVE., BLVD. and ST. Use the apartment or suite number as well as correct directionals, such as N, W and SW.

• Don't let an incorrect ZIP CodeTM delay delivery of cards and letters. Local Post Offices and the Postal ServiceTM Web site - www.usps.com - offer ZIP Code information. [FOR POST OFFICES COVERED BY THE NATIONAL CALL CENTERS, YOU CAN ALSO PUBLICIZE THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER.]

• Avoid placing bulky items such as photographs, keys, coins, rings, etc. in greeting card or letter- size envelopes as these items could be damaged in automated processing.

• Select a container strong enough to protect the contents. Leave space for cushioning inside the carton.

• Always use tape that is designed for shipping, such as pressure-sensitive tape, nylon-reinforced craft paper tape or glass-reinforced pressure-sensitive tape.

• Plain air-popped popcorn, shredded or rolled newspaper, bubble wrap or Styrofoam peanuts work well for cushioning package contents.

• The only addresses on packages for mailing should be the delivery and return addresses. Tip: Place a return address label inside the package.

• Carefully pack glass and fragile hollow items, like vases, with newspaper or packing material to avoid damage due to shock. When mailing framed photographs, remove glass and wrap separately.

• Packages that weigh at least one pound must be taken into the Post Office for mailing.

• Access the Postal Service's Web site - www.usps.com - to obtain Click-N-ShipTM easy-to-use online shipping labels. Customers can print and pay for labels with postage using a credit card, PC and printer. Customers can calculate rates, find ZIP Codes, validate and save addresses, and print labels without postage - all in one convenient location.

• When writing to Santa, be sure to use a return address. Santa may write back. Also, when writing Santa, please don't place any cookies for Santa or hay for his reindeer as this can foul mail sorting equipment and delay delivery.

"The Holidays are here, and we want to make sure your mail flies like an eagle and is delivered on time. Just help us by mailing early," [LAST NAME] said.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [INSERT YOUR NAME]
[INSERT DATE] [INSERT YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
Internet: www.usps.com

CHILDREN TO SEND "HO, HO, HO" LOTTA LETTERS TO SANTA
Postal Service Offers Mailing Tips to Get Letters to the North Pole

[CITY, STATE] - Santa Claus has a lot in common with the United States Postal Service®. Neither rain nor snow nor gloom of night keeps Santa from his appointed rounds at the s of millions of children the world over. Of course, Santa's been doing it a bit longer than we have. But since 1775, he's relied almost exclusively on the Postal ServiceTM to bring him letters from girls and boys all across America.

This holiday season will be no different. The Postal Service is gearing up for a huge mail delivery to the North Pole to help Santa and his elves get ready for the big day.

Getting Mail to Santa - Quickly and Safely

Santa's asked us to share these easy tips with children and families to help their letters get to him as quickly and safely as possible:

• Children should ask their parents for help addressing and placing stamps on letters. This can avoid misspellings, which can slow down letters, or using too much or too little postage.

• Like all mail, it's important that letters to Santa include a complete return address.

• Santa enjoys candy canes and cookies and his reindeer enjoy fresh hay. But because these treats can be damaged or crushed when sent in a regular envelope, Santa says it's better to leave them out on Christmas Eve than to mail them.

• No extra packaging material, such as string or tape, is needed on a letter to Santa. The glue on the envelope flap is all that's needed.

• Letters to Santa - and other holiday mail - can be given to your letter carrier at your door, rather than placing it in a collection box or making a special trip to the Post OfficeTM. And, as always, families with curbside mailboxes can put their mail in their mailbox for pickup.

Following these helpful hints can keep letters to Santa moving as quickly as possible and avoid any delays.

Helping Santa Help Those in Need

While Santa himself receives most of the letters addressed to him, some are sent to certified organizations and individuals who help those in need. This tradition began in 1912, when Postmaster General Frank H. Hitchcock authorized postmasters to share letters to Santa with local charities and others.

Many Santa letters will be answered by a variety of Santa's helpers - charitable organizations, employees of local Post Offices, and volunteers who simply want to help a child's holiday wishes come true.

Letters to Santa Claus are handled by local Post Offices, so policies may vary from city to city. Your local Post Office can tell you how your child's letter to Santa will be handled.

An American Tradition . . . for More Than Two Centuries

That's the United States Postal Service. It's provided the people of America with trusted, secure and universal mail service since 1775. Delivering more than 207 billion pieces of mail each year to 135 million s and businesses, the men and women of the United States Postal Service handle 46 percent of the world's mail volume. We deliver for you - and for Santa.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [INSERT YOUR NAME]
[INSERT DATE] [INSERT YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
Internet: www.usps.com

[NAME] POST OFFICE EXTENDS HOURS FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

[CITY, STATE] - The [CITY] Post OfficeTM, [ADDRESS], will extend its business hours for the 2003 holiday mailing season, says [CITY] Postmaster [FULL NAME] said.

The new hours will be from [LIST NEW HOURS] beginning [DATE] and continue through [DATE], [HE/SHE] said.

[IF APPLICABLE] "We will also be open on Sundays beginning [DATE] between the hours of [LIST TIMES]," Postmaster [LAST NAME] added.

Postmaster [LAST NAME] also reminds customers of other convenient service options such as Stamps By Mail®, Stamps By PhoneTM (800-STAMP-24) and on the Postal ServiceTM Web site at www.usps.com/shop.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [INSERT YOUR NAME]
[INSERT DATE] [INSERT YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
Internet: www.usps.com

MAIL FROM YOUR HOUSE WITH A CLICK OF YOUR MOUSE

[CITY, STATE] - During the holiday mailing season, many consumers are looking for a way to ease the pressure of getting their holiday mail out on time.

One strategy being used by a growing number of consumers is to go online. By visiting the Post OfficeTM that never closes - www.usps.com - customers can calculate postage, find ZIP Codes or put mail on hold if going on vacation. They can also purchase stamps, track and confirm mailings, or even design, purchase and mail personalized greeting cards.

To ship online, all you need is a computer, printer and Internet connection to print out labels and leave packages for carriers to pick up and deliver.

"It's clear we have a hit on our hands," explained [NAME, TOWN'S] postmaster. "The easy-to-use online shipping service allows customers to mail without leaving their s or offices.

With Click-N-ShipTM, customers can create and print mailing labels - with or without postage - and pay via credit card."

Packages can be sent to both domestic and international addresses. For domestic shipments, customers can choose Priority Mail® service or Express Mail® service. For international destinations, Global Express MailTM and Global Express Guaranteed® are available. International items weighing more than 16 ounces must be presented to a postal retail counter in person. A free guide to handling your holiday mailings - the "Customer's Guide to Mailing" is also available from the Post Office and also at www.usps.com. It provides clear, concise information on virtually everything consumer customers need to know about mailing. The guide, available at Post Offices and online, includes illustrations, tips and helpful information about changing an address, putting mail on temporary hold, and choosing extra services such as Insurance or Delivery Confirmation®.

To learn more about the Click-N-Ship print and pay options for shipping, or for a free copy of the guide, visit www.usps.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [INSERT YOUR NAME]
[INSERT DATE] [INSERT YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
Internet: www.usps.com

MANY [CITY] POST OFFICES OPEN SUNDAY(S) THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

[CITY, STATE] - Time keeps on slipping by procrastinators who have not yet sent off holiday cards, letters and packages. "To help ease the last-minute holiday rush, a number of [CITY] area Post OfficeTM will be open on Sunday(s), December [GIVE DATE(S)]," said [CITY] Postmaster [FULL NAME].

[IF APPLICABLE] "[CITY] Post Office(s) will be also be open on Sunday, Christmas Eve day, Dec. 24, for regular customer service hours, and parcel pick up," added Postmaster [LAST NAME]. [SEE ATTACHED LIST]. [IF APPLICABLE, INCLUDE INFORMATION PERTAINING TO OTHER HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS, SUCH AS HANUKKAH AND KWANZAA.]

To have last-minute holiday gifts and cards arrive on time, Postmaster [LAST NAME] advises customers to use guaranteed, overnight Express Mail® service that is delivered every day of the year- even Christmas Day.

Express Mail service offers guaranteed delivery service 365 days a year, including all weekends and holidays. The overnight delivery money-back guarantee typically applies to local area delivery, and for delivery to major metropolitan areas where timely air transportation connections are available. Express Mail service to all other areas is offered with a two-day guarantee.

While the Postal ServiceTM will accept items for Express Mail delivery on Christmas Day, customers are asked to check with their local Post Office for details.

[LIST LOCAL PLANS FOR MAIL COLLECTION OR PROCESSING ON CHRISTMAS EVE.]

[IF APPLICABLE] As a reminder, the [OFFICE NAME], [ADDRESS], is open every day of the year, including Christmas [LIST HOURS].

Post Offices will be closed on Christmas Day, [LAST NAME] added.

[THE ATTACHED PAGE TO YOUR PRESS RELEASE SHOULD LIST THE FULL SCHEDULE INCLUDING OPERATING HOURS OF POST OFFICES OPEN SUNDAY, AND OTHER SPECIAL HOLIDAY HOUR INFORMATION.]

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [INSERT YOUR NAME]
[INSERT DATE] [INSERT YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
Internet: www.usps.com

NEED POSTAGE STAMPS? TRY THESE ALTERNATIVES

[CITY, STATE] - Without a doubt, the holidays are the busiest time of the year for the Post OfficeTM. Customers are not only mailing their usual correspondence, they are often sending several packages, adding special services like Insurance and asking clerks about different ways to mail. "Like any retailer this time of year, we have more customers with larger and more complex transactions," says [CITY] Postmaster [FULL NAME]. For customers simply buying stamps, [LAST NAME] recommends several approaches to avoid the holiday lines.

• 60,000 additional stamp locations. Beyond visiting the web or the nation's 38,000 Post Offices, there are now 60,000 more locations to purchase stamps. Customers can obtain postage where they see "Buy Stamps Here" signage among 17,000 ATMs, and more than 40,000 supermarkets, drug stores and banks.

• Purchase from vending machines in Post Office lobbies. Many Post Offices provide 24-hour access to vending machines and offer stamps in different quantities and denominations. (Plus, many areas have postal vending machines in public areas like business parks, malls and grocery stores.)

• Call 800-STAMP-24. Customers can place orders by phone, use a credit card and get stamps delivered to their door.

• Visit the Postal ServiceTM at www.usps.com not only to order stamps, but to look up ZIP CodesTM, calculate postage and get details on mailing options and special services.

• Order Stamps By Mail® with forms available in Post Offices or from letter carriers.

"Getting everything you need to get done for the holidays can be a hassle. By providing alternate means to purchase stamps, the Post Office hopes to help customers avoid holiday hassles and glitches," says [LAST NAME].

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [INSERT YOUR NAME]
[INSERT DATE] [INSERT YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
Internet: www.usps.com

[CITY] POST OFFICE OFFERS TIPS TO ACCOMMODATE MAILERS AND
AVOID THE HOLIDAY GLITCHES

[CITY, STATE] - This year the [CITY] Post OfficeTM offers extended hours and new services designed to enhance the ease-of-use of Post Offices for customers mailing holiday items.

"We have a number of new options that will make the mailing experience at our Post Office fast and convenient for customers," says [CITY] Postmaster [FULL NAME]. Illustrating the point, Postmaster [LAST NAME] offers the following list of "Holiday Helpfuls":

Special Hours, Deliveries and Conveniences

• To help customers this holiday season, we have earlier and later hours. [LIST EXTENDED HOURS AND ANY SUNDAY OFFICE HOURS. (FOR POST OFFICES COVERED BY THE NATIONAL CALL CENTERS, YOU CAN ALSO PUBLICIZE THE TOLL-FREE 800 NUMBER.)]

• We accept all major debit and credit cards.

Stamps Offer Selection With Ease

• The Holiday Music Makers stamps, part of the Holiday stamps series, feature two images of whimsical Santas and two equally fanciful reindeer. Playing horns, panpipes and a drum, these lighthearted, colorful music makers bring to mind the many joys of the season. They are sold as self-adhesives in sheets of 20, double-sided booklets of 20, and folded vending booklets of 20. In addition, sets of stamped, ready-to-mail postcards on sheets of 20 will be available (featuring five each of the four stamp images) priced at $9.75 a set.

• The Holiday stamps have been extremely popular since the first stamp in the series was issued in 1961. Since 1966, the Christmas design in the series has prominently featured Renaissance paintings of the Madonna and Child. The Christmas stamp is a reissue of the 2002 37-cent stamp depicting artist Jan Gossaert's serene oil-on-panel painting "Madonna and Child" (circa 1520), reformatted as a double-sided convertible booklet.

• Holiday Celebrations: Eid Self-Adhesive pane of 20 (1 design)
Holiday Celebrations: Kwanzaa Self-Adhesive pane of 20 (1 design)
Holiday Celebrations: Hanukkah Self-Adhesive pane of 20 (1 design)

Most holiday stamps are available at selected grocery stores, banks and various other locations. There is also a toll-free number, 800-STAMP-24, for ordering stamps. Stamps can also be ordered online at www.usps.com/shop.

• Priority Mail® and Express Mail® stamps are available for last-minute mailings.

• Forms to receive Stamps By Mail® are available from letter carriers, and rural carriers can sell stamps on their route.

Holiday help

• Call the Post Office [PROVIDE NUMBER. FOR OFFICES UNDER THE CALL CENTER SYSTEM, GIVE THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER] or the holiday mail information [IF APPLICABLE] for answers to questions about mailing options, best dates to mail and packaging pointers.

• The Postal Service'sTM Web site - www.usps.com - is the Post Office that never closes. There, you can find the Holiday Shipping Guide, buy stamps, calculate postage, look up ZIP CodesTM and perform virtually any transaction as a regular Post Office. From the page, click on Shipping to answer all your letter and package mailing needs.

"As these reminders illustrate," Postmaster [LAST NAME] said, "the Postal Service has many options to help customers complete their holiday mailings with ease and greater convenience."

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [INSERT YOUR NAME]
[INSERT DATE] [INSERT YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
Internet: www.usps.com

BRING PACKAGES INTO LOCAL POST OFFICE FOR WEIGHING

[CITY, STATE] - The U.S. Postal Service® remains an important part of a government service that strives to ensure the safety of the public and its employees, especially during the holidays, said [CITY] Postmaster [FULL NAME].

In order to avoid delays, as a reminder to [CITY] residents, special security rules put in place by the FAA still apply when mailing stamped packages that weigh one pound or more.

"Even if you've carefully calculated and applied the correct amount of postage, you must bring these packages to the Post OfficeTM for mailing," [LAST NAME] said.

Packages found in mail collection boxes, because of security guidelines, may be returned to the sender, Postmaster [LAST NAME] explained. The only exceptions are business packages and letters that use metered postage, and customers who use Click-N-ShipTM for domestic mailings, [HE/SHE] added.

Packages for international destinations, including military APO and FPO addresses, have special Customs requirements and must also be mailed personally at the Post Office, [LAST NAME] added.

In addition, [LAST NAME] reminds customers that all former package markings and labels must be removed before a box can be reused for mailing. Parcels cannot be accepted if markings visibly indicate that the box was used for shipping hazardous material. Wrapping boxes to cover markings is not sufficient. If the wrapping is damaged and markings become visible, the package will be returned to the mailer.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [INSERT YOUR NAME]
[INSERT DATE] [INSERT YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
Internet: www.usps.com

NEED GIFT IDEAS FOR THE HOLIDAYS?
POST OFFICE IS A GREAT PLACE FOR "STOCKING" UP

[CITY, STATE] - We've all been through it. You have to buy a gift for the office grab bag. Your Uncle Ray unexpectedly sends you a gift, now you have to get one for him. You forgot to get something for the newspaper boy. And, it's that time of year again.

"Come to the Post Office," says Postmaster [FULL NAME]. "We have a variety of gift items for your holiday giving, including the following:"

• STAMPS - a practical gift because everyone needs and uses them. Plus, with the variety of stamps, customers are sure to find a subject to fit the interests of the gift recipient.

• MONEY ORDERS - better than a gift certificate. They are safe and secure. Purchase any amount up to $1,000. Fees are 90 cents for money orders up to $500, and $1.25 for up to $1,000.

• PREPAID FIRSTCLASS PHONECARDS®- make ideal gifts for college students, grandparents and small business owners.

• ONLINE SHOPPING AT THE POSTAL STORE - busy shoppers can go online at www.usps.com/shop any time to buy stamps and philatelic collectibles.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [INSERT YOUR NAME]
[INSERT DATE] [INSERT YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
Internet: www.usps.com

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
LETTER CARRIER "SANTAS" DELIVER ON CHRISTMAS DAY

[CITY, STATE] - Last-minute gifts sent by Express Mail® service will be delivered personally by a "Santa's Helper" on Christmas Eve [AND/OR] Christmas Day [IF APPLICABLE] again this year to customers living in [CITY], said [CITY] Postmaster [FULL NAME].

The tradition began 17 years ago when several U.S. Postal Service delivery employees decided to make working on the holiday more fun by donning Santa outfits and becoming "Santa-for-a-Day."

[TALK ABOUT LOCAL PROGRAM]

Express Mail service offers guaranteed delivery service 365 days a year, including all weekends and holidays. The overnight delivery money-back guarantee typically applies to local area delivery, and for delivery to major metropolitan areas where timely air transportation connections are available. Express Mail service to all other areas is offered with a two-day guarantee.

While the Postal ServiceTM will accept items for Express Mail delivery on Christmas Day, customers are asked to check with their local Post Office for details.

# # #