The U.S. Postal Service® offers simple and convenient solutions to save customers time and money when they ship this holiday — and this year we are delivering like never before. Customers can count on us for reliable service whether they visit us in Post Offices™, online at http://usps.com, or use the mobile app for our products and services. This kit will help our team of nearly half a million postal elves get ready to help customers send cards and mail gifts this busy holiday season.
When customers use our improved Priority Mail Flat Rate® products this holiday, they will receive more value than ever. Updated features include insurance, day-specific delivery, and updated tracking, and as always, boxes and Package Pickup are free. And for just 46 cents, customers can send holiday cheer to family and friends across the country. This year’s Gingerbread theme is sure to complement holiday well-wishes.
The holidays are our busiest time — but it is also the busiest season for many of our customers. Help eliminate shipping stress by reminding them that http://usps.com can be their personal Post Office. They can save time and skip the line by ordering free shipping supplies, paying for postage, printing labels, and scheduling a free Package Pickup without leaving home.
We are also educating customers on the best postal products and services to meet their needs. We’re sending a direct mail piece to approximately 139 million homes, highlighting our improved Priority Mail features, shipping deadlines, and holiday stamps. Customers will also be directed to http://usps.com where they can order supplies.
This holiday, customers in select areas can also visit a Post Office to buy greeting cards, gift cards, and postage, and mail their gifts all in one place. Customers can also continue to visit our locations inside thousands of retail outlets to make mailing and shipping a convenient part of their busy holiday shopping schedules.
We’re expecting nearly 13.1 billion cards, letters, and packages between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, and on average, we will process 545 million pieces of mail every day this holiday season. We are ready to deliver with a smile on our busiest mailing and delivery days of the year:
n Peak Mailing Day: Monday, December 16, for cards, letters, and packages. On that day, we expect to process 607 million pieces of mail.
n Busiest Delivery Day for Holiday Letters and Cards: Wednesday, December 18.
n Busiest Delivery Day for Holiday Packages: Thursday, December 19.
The holidays are the best time at the U.S. Postal Service — we have a 238-year track record to prove it!
2013 Holiday Shipping Deadlines
Remind customers of the 2013 mail-by dates — and encourage them to mail early. Here is a quick look at the domestic shipping deadlines customers need to keep in mind this holiday to ensure their gifts arrive by December 25.
Domestic
Be sure to inform customers that those sending cards and mailing gifts should not miss the recommended mail-by dates listed below for Domestic, Military, and International Mail to ensure gifts and cards arrive by December 25.
2013 Holiday Season Important International Dates*
Supporting Our Troops
Since Priority Mail service supplies are the packaging of choice for families preparing care packages for service members overseas, USPS® has created a “Military Care Kit” based on the items most frequently requested.
To order a kit, call 800-610-8734. Each kit contains:
n Two APO/FPO Large Priority Boxes (12 x 12 x 5-1/2).
n Two Medium Priority Mail Boxes 1 (11 x 8-1/2 x 5-1/2).
n Two Medium Priority Mail Boxes 2
(13-5/8 x 11-7/8 x 3-3/8).
n Priority Mail tape.
n Priority Mail address labels.
n Appropriate customs forms.
Remind customers of the following helpful shipping tips for Military Mail:
n Use the service member’s full name when shipping to ensure it reaches the correct person.
n Include the service member’s unit and APO/FPO address with the nine-digit ZIP Code.
n Always include a return address.
n Use Click-N-Ship® to automatically standardize the APO/FPO address if it has been added to the Postal Service database.
n Large Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes cost $14.85 and include a $2 per box discount for military mail being sent to APO/FPO/DPO (Air/Army Post Office, Fleet Post Office, Diplomatic Post Office) destinations worldwide.
n Visit http://usps.com/ship/apo.htm for shipping restrictions and additional information.
Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express Flat Rate
When customers are shipping their gifts this holiday, be sure to let them know about improved Domestic Priority Mail Flat Rate shipping.
Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes make holiday shipping simple. No weighing or calculating is necessary if the items weigh less than 70 pounds. Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes can be picked up at any Post Office and are always free to order online from http://usps.com for delivery to a home address. Last minute shoppers can count on Priority Mail Express® to get their gifts delivered overnight to most U.S. destinations.*
This holiday there are more reasons than ever to choose Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes. Enhanced features include:
n Improved tracking: It’s easy to see where packages are at pickup, confirmed final delivery, and many points in between with improved USPS Tracking.
n Expected delivery: Based on where a package is shipping from and heading to, customers know whether to expect 1-, 2-, or 3-day specified delivery*.
n Free insurance: Most packages now qualify for free insurance up to $50 per package, or up to $100 for Priority Mail Express**.
Available only in local Post Offices while supplies last, the limited-edition holiday boxes feature a red ribbon and bow printed on one large and two medium Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes.
*Service commitment based on drop-off time. Some restrictions apply.
Visit http://usps.com/makingprioritymailbetter for more details.
**Some restrictions apply.
Visit http://usps.com/makingprioritymailbetter for more details.
2013 Holiday Stamps
Send some cheer this holiday season with the 2013 holiday stamps!
Holiday Direct Mailpiece
As in previous years, a holiday direct mailpiece will be delivered to U.S. households and PO Boxes — about 139 million deliveries total. The mailpiece will drop over several days beginning November 18, with targeted delivery during the week of November 25. Most of the pieces are in the format of a self-mailer, while about one million pieces are in the format of a holiday card. The mailpieces will help increase revenue by encouraging use of postal products, specifically Domestic Priority Mail Flat Rate, and holiday stamps.
The mailpieces direct customers to get free Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes from either The Postal Store on http://usps.com or in-person at their local Post Office. Post Offices should be prepared for increased orders of 1-5 Priority Mail boxes through http://usps.com as a result of this mailpiece. This is the existing offer already on http://usps.com and is for regular boxes only — not holiday boxes.
Customers are also directed to the Holiday Stamp section of the Postal Store and to eBay to purchase holiday stamps, and to the http://usps.com holiday page to learn about international mailing and shipping deadlines. Domestic mailing and shipping deadlines are included on the mailpiece.
Preview of the Mailpieces
Holiday Advertising and In-Store Point of Purchase (POP)
Holiday advertising should be up in all Post Office locations beginning November 25. It consists of several promotional POP elements including: Shipping and Stamps Menuboards and Posters, Countermat Insert, Countercard and Take One, Holiday Stamp Magnets for Merchandiser, Door Decals, and an SSK Lug-On.
These elements communicate the following holiday information:
n Benefits of using Priority Mail to send holiday gifts and First-Class Mail for cards.
n Messaging of Priority Mail features including enhanced tracking, day-specific delivery, and free insurance.
n Free Holiday Flat Rate boxes in Retail locations and free Package Pick-up options.
n Estimated shipping deadlines to ensure gifts arrive on time for the holidays.
n Sending cheer with cards using our holiday stamps.
n Visiting the holiday page at http://usps.com/holiday (starting November 18) for more holiday information.
n Tracking packages on http://usps.com.
Sample Retail Elements:
Holidays from Home
Customers look for convenience during the holidays, and http://usps.com makes shipping simple. With just a few clicks, customers can order supplies, buy stamps, and schedule a next-day Package Pickup, all from the comfort of home.
Free supply delivery — Customers can have Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express boxes delivered to their door for no additional fee.
Free Package Pickup — No time for the Post Office? Customers can schedule free next-day Package Pickup™ online at http://usps.com or by phone at 800-ASK-USPS, and a carrier will pick it up during regular delivery. The service is free, regardless of the number of packages being sent.
Click-N-Ship — Skip the trip to the Post Office by printing mailing labels with postage from the convenience of your home or office. Click-N-Ship makes the online shipping experience faster and easier. Customers can even get a discount of up to 16 percent on postage for select domestic packages. Flat rate labels can be completed quickly, and customers can use the Ship Again feature for recurring shipments.
Quick Tools — The Quick Tools drop-down menu on http://usps.com provides a link to several of the most common online services customers need during the holidays. They can place their mail on hold if they will be traveling, or track packages, schedule a pickup, calculate a price, and look up ZIP Codes.
The Postal Store® — The Postal Store is an online retail Post Office that allows customers to purchase postal supplies and gifts online. A few of the popular products and services available on the website include:
n Stamps, personalized envelopes, and coil holders.
n ReadyPost boxes, bubble wrap, and tape.
n Philatelic products, including stamp yearbooks, first-day covers, and ceremony programs.
To visit The Postal Store, go to https://www.usps.com/shop.
Social Media
Customers who love to text and tweet can follow us on our social media channels for holiday updates and information.
Expanded Access
Whether on your phone, in a Post Office, or in town, Postal Service products and services are easy to access. Our online options and the thousands of banks, grocery stores, pharmacies, ATMs, and retail stores featuring postal products can help make holiday shopping and shipping with the Postal Service even more convenient for customers during the busy holiday season.
Retail Partners
Customers busy sending holiday cards and letters can visit one of the more than 3,450 independently-managed contract postal units branded with the Postal Service logo selling postal products and services as well as thousands of locations outside of a Post Office to purchase stamps.
Self-Service Kiosks
Customers can skip crowded lines in a Post Office and use a self-service kiosk for their holiday shipping needs. There are 2,850 self-service kiosks in Post Offices around the country, which provide customer access to the most frequently purchased postal products and services. Customers purchasing greeting cards in Premiere Post Offices can now use the self-service kiosks to do so, as they are equipped with a customer-facing scanner for quick greeting card transactions.
Mobile
Smart, phone-savvy customers don’t even need to look up from their devices to ship this season! USPS Mobile on Apple’s iPhone® and iPod Touch® is frequently rated in the top 10 for free business applications on iTunes®. This application enables customers to track packages via a tracking number or by scanning a barcode, find a Post Office location, collection box, or APC, look up a ZIP Code™, order free shipping supplies, request a package pickup, and calculate prices. USPS Mobile has been enhanced to include Hold Mail service, and the USPS App for Android® will be upgraded to match the current services available on the iPhone.
Gifting Solutions
In select Post Offices this holiday, customers can buy greeting cards, gift cards, and postage, and mail their gifts all in one place — the local Post Office.
American Express Gift Cards
American Express® gift cards will be sold in 5,000 Post Offices. They are available in $25 and $50 fixed value amounts, plus a $3.95 or $4.95 gift card activation fee. Customers can also purchase a $25-$100 variable value gift card plus a $5.95 activation fee.
Greeting Cards
Approximately 9,800 Post Offices nationwide will sell holiday greeting cards. The Postal Service is expanding greeting cards into an additional 1,500 Post Offices around the country. Approximately 3,400 Post Offices will have a permanent greeting card display to improve the customer experience in time for the holiday customer traffic. Holiday boxed cards will be sold in approximately 1,000 of the 9,800 select Post Offices, and 53 of the 9,800 select Post Offices will feature six Sinceramente (Spanish language) greeting cards for the holidays along with some English language greeting cards.
Wrap the Holidays in Ready Post
ReadyPost bubble mailers and mailing cartons are available to help customers deliver a beautiful holiday gift with ease. This year, customers can choose from red and green options, with holiday phrases including “Be Merry” and “Joy to the World.”
Unique Gift Options
If you ship with us, why not shop with us! This year, the Postal Service will sell a 2013 commemorative White House ornament, as well as many other gifts perfect for the holidays. Whether customers have a stamp collector to shop for or need a unique gift for someone on their list, they can shop online at the Postal Store at www.usps.com/shop. Visit http://ebay.com/stamps for another great place to shop, too.
2013 White House Holiday Ornament: $21.99 ($18.99 after 12/27/13)
The White House Holiday Ornament honors Woodrow Wilson, the twenty-eighth president of the United State. A snowy scene is surrounded by a 24-karat gold-plated frame comprised of elm leaves. In addition to the online store, the ornament will be sold in 2,375 Post Offices.
2013 Stamp Year Book: $64.95
Give stamp collectors a gift that lets them immerse themselves in the stories surrounding this year's stamps and also showcases the collection.
Looking for a new gift to honor a loved one’s passions or hobbies? From Muscle Cars to Music Icons, we have a unique gift option!
Johnny Cash Stamp T-Shirt $15.95
Muscle Cars Stamps Framed Art $69.95
Visit the Postal Store at www.usps.com/shop or our eBay story at http://ebay.com/stamps for more gift options.
Operation Santa
The Postal Service began receiving letters to Santa Claus more than 100 years ago. Our involvement was made official in 1912 when Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local Postmasters to allow Postal Service employees and citizens to respond to letters in the program that became known as Operation Santa. In the 1940s, mail volume for Santa increased so much that the Postal Service invited charitable organizations and corporations to provide written responses and small gifts to the children who wrote letters.
Over the years, the Operation Santa program has taken on a life of its own. The Letters to Santa initiative has emerged as one of most recognizable programs of the holiday season. Today, cities around the country have hugely successful programs that also work with recognized charitable organizations, major corporations, local businesses, and Postal Service employees to make a difference in the lives of children from coast to coast.
What We Do
Currently, there are Letters to Santa programs all around the country that vary as much as the locations themselves. Some cities and towns work with local schools to write letters back to the children as if they were Santa, some work with established groups and assist with the collection of gifts, and others invite the public to adopt Santa letters. Hundreds of thousands of children of all ages send letters to “Santa Claus, North Pole, Alaska” every year.
n Unless these letters contain a complete Alaska address, they remain in the area they were mailed.
n Postal “elves” go through the letters and separate those that wish Santa a happy birthday from those that express serious need.
New York City’s Letters to Santa program is the largest in the country, receiving more than a half-million letters each year. This year’s Operation Santa kick-off celebration will take place on December 3rd at 10 a.m., and letter adoption opens to the public on December 4th. Throughout the season, New York City’s iconic James A. Farley Building on 8th Avenue will host thousands of people who visit the Post Office in person to adopt letters.
Guidelines
In 2006, national policy guidelines were created regarding the handling and adoption of letters addressed to Santa. These guidelines were designed to protect the children who wrote to Santa and mandated that individuals wishing to adopt letters must do so in person, present valid photo identification, and fill out a form that includes the list of letters being adopted.
In 2009, the Postal Service changed the letter adoption process by blacking out all reference to the child’s address and assigning the letter a number. Individuals interested in adopting letters go to the Post Office, select the letter(s), and sign the form. When the individual is set to fulfill the child’s wishes, he or she returns with the letter and/or item to be mailed, and brings it to a Postal Service employee. The employee matches the number on the letter with the child’s address and weighs the package. The individual pays for the postage. A Postal Service employee prints and applies a label to the package without the customer seeing the child’s address.
Local Programs
Historically, Post Offices around the country have partnered with various groups and organizations for charitable purposes and on community projects that have a positive impact on the community at large and on the residents specifically — our intent is to continue to do so now and in the future.
Get Involved
The Postal Service and its employees play important roles in communities around the nation. Postal Service employees live in the communities where they work. Their children attend school there. They shop in the local stores. They eat in the restaurants. They actively participate in the community. It makes sense for these employees to want to help their fellow citizens, especially during the holiday season. Through the Letters to Santa program, the Postal Service also helps to promote literacy. A letter to Santa is often a child’s first written correspondence.
Sample Response for Use when Preparing a Written Response from Santa
Sample letters can be used to respond to children who have written a letter to Santa. Please note that if you would like the letters to have a North Pole postmark, you must follow the instructions below.
Is There Really a Santa Claus?
Kids Will Truly Believe When Santa Writes Back!
Encourage customers to give their child an unforgettable gift — a personalized letter from Santa! The U.S. Postal Service can help keep the enchantment of Santa Claus alive by delivering a letter from Jolly Old Saint Nick, postmarked from the North Pole.
Here’s how:
n Write a personalized letter to a child from Santa Claus and sign it “From Santa.”
n Insert the letter into an envelope, and address it to the child.
n Add the return address: SANTA, NORTH POLE, to the envelope.
n Ensure a First-Class stamp is affixed to the envelope.
n Place the complete envelope into a larger envelope, with appropriate postage, and address it to:
NORTH POLE POSTMARK
POSTMASTER
4141 POSTMARK DR
ANCHORAGE, AK 99530-9998
“Letters from Santa” must be mailed to the Anchorage, AK, Postmaster no later than December 10, 2013. Santa’s helpers in Anchorage, AK, will take care of the rest!
Letter to Santa
Letter to Santa
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2013 Promotional Ideas
Promoting the holidays and our products and services can be done in any Post Office lobby, and it’s a great way to show our customers and the community that it’s the best time of year for the Postal Service. Here are some general tips for this holiday season:
n Ensure you have plenty of supplies available and that your retail product line is configured as outlined in the Planogram.
n Be a Priority Mail Flat Rate expert: the improved features make Priority Mail a great deal for holiday shipping.
n Send holiday cards to customers or community members to thank them for their business and support.
n When possible, host a fun activity, such as a shipping expo, or offer holiday treats in the lobby.
n Be in the lobby to meet and greet — there’s no better time of year to let customers know you care.
If you plan to host a holiday event, it can be a great opportunity to invite local media. Whether the event focuses on sharing shipping tips or creating care packages, consider inviting the media to cover the event. Contact your local communications program specialist to maximize local media attention. Find your communications representative here: http://about.usps.com/news/media-contacts/welcome.htm.
Here are a few promotional ideas to consider this holiday:
Gingerbread Contest — To boost excitement over this year’s Gingerbread House stamps, host a gingerbread house contest in the lobby or sponsor one at a local facility. Have the stamps and other supplies on sale at the event and offer a prize to the winner.
How Ship Cookies Workshop — This year’s Gingerbread House stamp is a perfect opportunity to host an informational event where attendees learn how to safely ship cookies and other holiday treats.
Shipping Tips and Tricks Party — Host a holiday promotional event in the lobby or other postal facility to demonstrate packing and mailing tips. Let your backdrop consist of a display of shipping products, including Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes and ReadyPost holiday products. Demonstrate just how much can fit into a Priority Mail Flat Rate Box by packing one with some gift items to create a great photo opportunity. Show customers how to use the Self-Service Kiosks for their holiday mailings. Serve hot chocolate and holiday cookies for an added touch.
“How to Holiday the U.S. Postal Service Way” Free Seminar — Work with a local library, community center, or senior center to walk attendees through some mailing and shipping best practices. Bring the holiday Priority Mail boxes, Gingerbread Forever stamps, and the other holiday stamps to celebrate the season. Demonstrate topics, such as how to send military mail or use Priority Mail Express for last-minute gifts. If an Internet connection and computer are available, show customers how to wrap up the holidays from home by creating shipping labels with postage using Click-N-Ship service on http://usps.com.
Priority Mail Party — Visuals attract attention. Stack Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes into the shape of a holiday tree or on a table in the lobby for a fun photo opportunity, and explain the improved features to customers.
Stage Theatrics — Never underestimate the media draw of costumed characters. Santa, Mrs. Claus, and a team of postal elves can host a lobby event and give information on holiday mailing deadlines and packaging tips, as well as provide a fun photo opportunity for customers.
Reality Shipping — Here is a story that’s sure to get some news media coverage: “The Great Package Race.” Invite a consumer reporter to fit as much as he or she can into two Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes and address both boxes to the same address. Have the reporter mail one package at a Post Office and the other using the convenience of Click-N-Ship and free Package Pickup on http://usps.com. Be sure to point out to the reporter how much time and money was saved by going online. The reporter can then do a news story on when the packages arrive.
Salute the Military — Promote the $2 military discount for Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes being sent to APO/FPO addresses, as well as the Military Care Kits and military shipping dates. Wherever possible, ask local military personnel to share how important it is to receive mail when stationed overseas and away from home, particularly during the holiday season.
Holiday Writing Party — Invite students, ROTC members, Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts, and other community groups to create cards and letters at a letter writing party in the lobby. Children can write letters for Santa, or groups can send holiday greetings to ship to service men and women overseas.
Employee Tipping and Gift-Receiving Policy
All Postal Service employees, including carriers, must comply with the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch. Under these federal regulations, carriers are permitted to accept a gift worth $20 or less from a customer per occasion, such as Christmas. However, cash and cash equivalents, such as checks or gift cards that can be exchanged for cash, must never be accepted in any amount. Furthermore, no employee may accept more than $50 worth of gifts from any one customer in any one calendar year period.
Busiest Mailing Day Media Advisory
Date: Contact: Name
(O) xxx-xxx-xxxx
(C) xxx-xxx-xxxx
xxxxx@usps.gov
usps.com/news
It’s the Busiest Mailing Day for Holiday Cards and Packages
U.S. Postal Service Ready for Last-Minute Rush
WHAT: Join (Insert Postal Officials Name) on the busiest day for mailing holiday cards letter and packages and a behind-the-scenes look at how mail is processed and sorted for delivery. Hear from U.S. Postal Service mailing and shipping experts how to properly pack and ship holiday gifts to ensure on-time arrival. Learn time-saving tips and discover the best bargains in shipping this holiday season.
WHO: (Insert Name(s) of Postal Official)
WHEN: Monday, Dec. 16
WHERE: (Insert Facility Address)
BACKGROUND: Americans will entrust more than 14.7 billion pieces of mail with the U.S. Postal Service from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve. This Monday, Dec. 16, is anticipated to be the busiest mailing day for holiday packages, cards and letters with volumes to reach an estimated 607 million pieces on that day.
As the U.S. Postal Service prepares for its busiest mailing day of the year, shoppers are scrambling to send their holiday gifts and cards in time for Christmas. Here are the recommended mail-by dates:
n Dec. 14 — Standard Post.
n Dec. 20 — First-Class Mail.
n Dec. 21 — Priority Mail.
n Dec. 23 — Priority Mail Express.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
# # #
Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at http://about.usps.com/news/welcome.htm.
For reporters interested in speaking with a regional Postal Service public relations professional, go to http://about.usps.com/news/media-contacts/usps-local-media-contacts.pdf.
A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation: 152 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With more than 31,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, http://usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world's mail. If it were a private-sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 42nd in the 2012 Fortune 500. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency for seven years and the fifth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.
Follow the Postal Service on www.twitter.com/USPS and at www.facebook.com/USPS.
Area Corporate Communications Managers
Capital Metro
George Maffett
email: george.t.maffett@usps.gov
Telephone: 301-548-1465
Eastern
Paul Smith
email: paul.f.smith@usps.gov
Telephone: 215-863-5055
Great Lakes
Victor Dubina
email: victor.dubina@usps.gov
Telephone: 216-443-4596
Pacific
Don Smeraldi
email: don.a.smeraldi@usps.gov
Telephone: 858-674-3149
Northeast
Maureen Marion
email: maureen.p.marion@usps.gov
Telephone: 860-285-7029
Southern
Polly Gibbs
email: polly j. gibbs@usps.gov
Telephone: 214-819-8704
Western
John Friess
email: john.g.friess@usps.gov
Telephone: 303-313-5130
Congressional State Representative Listing
To dial extension, please use prefix (202) 268-XXXX
— Public Relations,
Corporate Communications, 11-14-13
2013 Holiday Fact Sheets
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