This year, the Postal Service™ is reminding employees and customers that the holidays are our time to deliver. We have prepared all year for this season, and are ready to deliver across the country.
Key Dates
n Holiday Priority Mail Boxes available online, October 16, 2014.
n Holiday-themed Priority Mail boxes available on http://usps.com, October 20, 2014.
n Global Christmas and Winter Fun Stamps FDOI, October 23, 2014.
n First Holiday Ad (15-second spot) Premiers, November 3, 2014.
n Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Stamps FDOI, November 6, 2014.
n Holiday Kick-Off, November 6, 2014.
n Holiday consumer mailer distributed, week of November 18, 2014.
n Holiday POP in Retail, November 21, 2014.
n Small Business Saturday, November 29, 2014.
n Second Holiday Ad (30-second spot) Premiers, November 27, 2014.
n National Cancellations Begin, November 29, 2014.
n Operation Santa Kick-Off, December 2, 2014.
2014 Holiday Shipping Deadlines
To ensure that holiday mail and packages are delivered in time for Christmas, the Postal Service recommends customers observe the following mailing and shipping deadlines:
December 2 — First-Class Mail International®
December 2 — Priority Mail International®
December 10 — Priority Mail Express International®
December 15 — Standard Post™
December 17 — Global Express Guaranteed®
December 20 — First-Class Mail®
December 20 — Priority Mail®
December 23 — Priority Mail Express®*
The dates listed above are the earliest deadlines for international and military mail.
*Priority Mail Express postage refund eligibility is adjusted for shipments mailed December 22–25.
Military Holiday Shipping
To ensure timely delivery of holiday wishes by December 25, 2014, send cards and packages to military APO/FPO/DPO addresses overseas no later than the mailing dates listed below:
1 PMEMS is available to selected military addresses. Check with your local Post Office to determine if this service is available to an APO/FPO/DPO address.
2 PAL is a service that provides air transportation for parcels on a space-available basis. It is available for Standard Post items not exceeding 30 pounds in weight or 60 inches in length and girth combined. The applicable PAL fee must be paid in addition to the regular surface price for each addressed piece sent by PAL service.
3 SAM parcels are paid at Standard Post prices with maximum weight and size limits of 15 pounds and 60 inches in length and girth combined. SAM parcels are first transported domestically by surface and then to overseas destinations by air on a space-available basis.
To send packages to loved ones serving in the military abroad, the Postal Service offers a discount on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate Box at $15.45. The price includes a $2 per box discount for mail sent to APO/FPO/DPO (Air/Army Post Office/Fleet Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office) destinations worldwide.
With Priority Mail supplies as the packaging of choice for families preparing care packages for service members overseas, the Postal Service created a free “Military Care Kit” based on the items most frequently requested by military families. To order the kit, call 800-610-8734. Guidelines for packing, addressing, and shipping items to U.S. troops can be found at http://usps.com/ship/apo-fpo-guidelines.htm.
The kit contains:
n Two Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate Boxes.
n Two Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Boxes.
n Priority Mail tape.
n Priority Mail address labels.
n Appropriate customs forms.
Addressing an APO/FPO/DPO Package:
1. Write out the service member’s full name in the address.
2. Include the unit and APO/FPO/DPO address with the 9-digit ZIP™ Code (if one is assigned).
For example:
Cpt. John Doe
Unit 2050 Box 4190
APO AP 96278-2050
3. Include a return address.
4. Include the service member’s name and address as well as the sender’s name and address on an index card inside the package, in case the label is damaged.
Key Facts and Messages
Busiest mailing and delivery dates:
n Busiest MAILING day for holiday cards/packages: Monday, December 15.
n Busiest DELIVERY day for holiday cards: Wednesday, December 17.
n Busiest DELIVERY day for holiday packages: Thursday, December 18.
Volume increase:
n The Postal Service is projecting an approximate 12 percent increase in package volume this holiday season. We’re expecting to deliver about 470 million packages between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
Other volume data:
n The Postal Service is projecting more than 15.5 billion cards and letters will be delivered between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, and more than 12.7 billion between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
n More than 640 million pieces of mail will be processed on December 15, 2014, the busiest mailing day.
n On an AVERAGE day, the Postal Service processes 528 million pieces of mail. During the HOLIDAY season, that volume increases to 553 million pieces of mail each day.
Products and Services
Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express are great options for shipping holiday gifts:
n Boxes available at no extra charge.
n Day-specific delivery.
n Enhanced tracking.
n Insurance included.
Save time and money this holiday with valuable services on http://usps.com:
n Save money and get free delivery confirmation when you create mailing labels and pay for postage online.
n Schedule a Package Pickup online for free, no matter how many packages are being sent.
n Order supplies, including Priority Mail packaging, and have them delivered for free.
Holiday Stamps 2014: Customers Want Stamps This Holiday Season — Keep a Wide Variety on Hand to Ensure Customer Satisfaction
The holidays are near and the key selling season for holiday stamps begins in October and continues through mid-December. Service-wide, our goal is to ensure all sales units have an adequate supply of holiday Forever® stamps available for sale, and our customers have a variety of designs to choose from.
New Designs
The Postal Service™ is offering new designs to choose from for the Forever First-Class Mail price:
n Winter Fun stamps, issue date October 23, in booklets of 20 (Item 689800).
n Winter Fun ATM (automated teller machine), issue date October 23, in sheetlets of 18 (Item 588600, for use only in Automated Postal Units).
n Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer stamps, issue date November 6, in booklets of 20 (Item 689600).
n Christmas Magi stamps, issue date November 19, in booklets of 20 (Item 689700).
In addition, there will be a new Forever Global Holiday stamp:
n Global Holiday: Silver Bells Wreath, Forever international price, issue date October 23 (Item 588300).
Existing Designs
There is remaining inventory of the following previous years’ holiday Forever booklets of 20 through the SFS Web at https://sfsweb.usps.gov:
n Holy Family stamp (Item 582000).
n Gingerbread Houses stamps (Item 688900).
n Holiday Baubles stamps (Item 679600).
n Gossaert Madonna and Child stamp (Item 688700).
n Madonna of the Candelabra stamp (Item 679500).
n Hanukkah stamp (2011, Item 576400)
n Kwanzaa stamp (2011, Item 576500; 2013,
Item 585000).
n Eid stamp (2013, Item 584000).
Last years’s Forever Global Holiday stamp is still available as well:
n Global Holiday: Evergreen Wreath, the 2013 Forever international price, (Item 587000).
We strongly urge offices with demand for any of these items to continue to order and sell them, to help the Postal Service “sell through” its older inventory. It helps our business and provides our customers with a wide variety of choices when making their holiday stamp purchases.
Other Holiday Stamps On Sale
Forever stamps unavailable through SFS Web, but remaining on sale in the field:
n EID stamp (2011, Item 576700).
n Hanukkah stamp (2013, Item 583000).
n Santa and Sleigh stamps PSA Booklet of 20 (Item 679800).
n Poinsettia stamp PSA Booklet of 20 (Item 688600).
Stamp Distribution Plans
An automatic distribution will be made of the following new holiday stamps:
n Winter Fun, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Christmas Magi booklets of 20.
Offices can get details regarding their automatic push quantities through SFS Web at https://sfsweb.usps.gov. Offices requiring additional supplies of these stamps and any quantities of other stamps should place their orders as usual with SFS Web at https://sfsweb.usps.gov. Please allow 7–10 days for stamp orders. When you place your order, you will receive tracking information to allow you to check on the order shipping status.
Holiday Stamps EXCLUDED from Stamp Stock Limits for 2014
To make the largest variety of stamps available to all our customers and encourage offices to order appropriately, the calculation for stamp stock limits will EXCLUDE holiday stamps through the end of the calendar year. It is intended that these changes will allow offices the flexibility they need to offer all their customers an uninterrupted supply and variety of holiday stamps. Finally, all offices may direct customers to alternate ordering channels, including the Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, eBay at http://www.ebay.com/stamps, or by calling our toll-free phone number, 800-STAMP-24, (800-782-6724).
New Holiday Stamped Envelope Packets
This year, the USPS® is offering winter-themed Stamped Envelope Packs of 10 First-Class mail price envelopes with seals for $9.95 each set. There are three festive sets to choose from, the Winter Fun set (Item 689834) includes five stamped envelopes displaying a red cardinal and five envelopes featuring a child building a snowman; the Poinsettia set (Item 688634) includes 10 envelopes of one Poinsettia design; and the Snowflakes set (Item 789834) includes 10 envelopes featuring two designs, five of each design.
These sets will be sent by automatic distribution to Full Philatelic Products Offices and will not be available for other offices to order through SFS Web.
Customers may order online at http://usps.com/stamps, http://ebay.com/stamps, or to our toll-free phone number, 800-STAMP-24, (800-782-6724).
Questions
The entire staff of Stamp Services wants this to be the best holiday season ever and we’re committed to outstanding customer service. If you have questions about stamp availability, please call 844-737-7826.
Winter Fun Stamps (Item 689800)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Stamp (Item 689600)
Christmas Magi Stamp (Item 689700)
Global Holiday: Silver Bells Wreath Stamp (Item 588300)
Holy Family Stamp (Item 582000).
Gingerbread Houses Stamps (Item 688900)
Holiday Baubles Stamps (Item 679600)
Gossaert Madonna and Child Stamp (Item 688700)
Madonna of the Candelabra Stamp (Item 679500)
Hanukkah Stamp (2011 Issue, Item 576400)
Kwanzaa Stamp (2011 Issue, Item 576500)
Kwanzaa Stamp (2013 Issue, Item 585000)
EID Stamp (Green 2013 Issue, Item 584000)
Global Holiday: Evergreen Wreath Stamp (Item 587000)
EID Stamp (Red 2011 Issue, Item 576700)
Hanukkah Stamp (2013 Issue, Item 583000)
Santa & Sleigh Stamps (Item 679800)
Poinsettia Stamp (Item 688600)
Postmarks and Cancellations
Beginning November 29, all stamp-cancelling equipment nationwide will be postmarking stamps with one of four images commemorating the 50th anniversary of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
The country has been divided into four sections – each section gets a specific postmark.
Rudolph — Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan (lower), New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Hermey — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan (Upper Peninsula) Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Bumble — Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Santa — Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
The holiday favorite postmark from the North Pole features Santa’s face in a half-moon shape, “Season’s Greetings” — “North Pole Station” — North Pole, AK 99705.
How to Get the Postmark
Customers who want a special holiday postmark on their greeting cards need to do the following:
n Personalize greeting card. Seal envelope. Print addresses on envelopes.
n Put postage stamp on each card.
n Mail all the greeting cards together in a larger envelope or Priority Mail box to the appropriate address.
n Mail the package no later than December 15. After December 15, please use Priority Express Mail.
Other postmarks may be available on a local basis.
Cancellation Image
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Mailing Address
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Postmaster
1 West Main Street
Angelica, NY 14709
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Postmaster
13065 Highway 79
Bells, TN 38006-9998
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Postmaster
2211 Deer Lodge Hwy.
Deer Lodge, TN
37726-9998
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Postmaster
145 Russell Street
Elkhorn City, KY
41522-9998
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Postmaster
112 Main Street
Elkton, TN 38455-9998
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Postmaster
7005 Highway 192
Holladay, TN 38341-9998
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Postmaster
257 Jonesboro Road
Piney Flats, TN 37686
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Holiday Postmark
Postmaster
3946 Bethlehem Road
Bethlehem, KY
40007-9998
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Postmaster
102 West Main Street
Elkton, KY 42220-9998
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Postmaster
Highway 987
Miracle, KY 40856-9998
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Postmaster
85 Village Drive
Nazareth, KY 40048-9998
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Postmaster
469 Highway 3073
Partridge, KY 40862-9998
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Postmaster
625 East Highway 92
Pine Knot, KY 42635-9998
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Postmaster
3880 Highway 582
Pine Top, KY 41843-9998
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Postmaster
111 South Walnut Street
Pineville, KY 40977-9998
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Postmaster
27 Old Lynchburg Highway NE
Mulberry, TN 37359-9888
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Postmaster
535 Wood Street
Bethlehem, PA 18016
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Postmaster
14018 Mermill Road
Rudolph, OH 43462-9998
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Customer Tips
Feel free to share the following holiday shipping tips and tricks with customers:
n Enjoy convenience: Order free Priority Mail shipping supplies on http://usps.com and have them delivered to your door, free of charge.
n Be informed: Check http://usps.com to verify that your items can be shipped.
n Pack smart: Pick a strong and sturdy box, cushion contents with packing peanuts, newspaper or bubble wrap, and tape it closed with strong packing tape. Remove batteries from toys, and always place a card inside the package that contains the delivery and return addresses. Finally, never guess a ZIP Code and always include complete “to” and “from” information on the packages.
n Save a trip: Visit http://usps.com to pay for postage and request free Package Pickup at your door.
n Track It: Sign up for text and email alerts through http://my.usps.com to track the delivery status of your packages.
n Gift options: Pick up a gift card from your local Post Office™; they make great gifts for family and friends.
n Be social: Follow the Postal Service on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, and the Postal Posts Blog for holiday tips all season long.
Domestic Claims
Just in time for the peak holiday shipping season, the Domestic Claims Online Tool is being updated to allow http://usps.com customers to file an insurance claim quickly and easily. The enhancements will include a new look that provides a streamlined customer experience.
Planned updates include:
n Improved navigation.
n Clear and concise instructions for claim filing.
n Ability to view Claim Status reducing the customer’s need to call the Accounting Service Center.
n Reduced data entry for registered http://usps.com users. Data is prepopulated making claim filing faster and easier.
We know that USPS® service is great — especially during the busy holiday season when our customers rely on us the most. Enhancing our online Domestic Claims application is just one of the ways we provide our customers the best possible service.
All customer-facing employees should mention the importance of proper packaging to customers shipping packages. Reducing the number of improperly packaged items will help reduce the need for customers to file a claim. Customers who have questions should call the Customer Care Center at 800-ASK-USPS (800-275-8777).
Retail Gifts
Whether customers forget to add someone to their holiday lists or need to find a gift for that special someone, the Postal Service has them covered. In select Post Offices this holiday season, customers can buy greeting cards, gift cards, and postage, and mail their gifts all in one place — the local Post Office. Check out online and retail options to make gift giving easy this season:
Holiday Stamps
n Show loved ones you care with a personal holiday letter or card. The 2014 holiday stamps are a perfect complement to your greetings this season. Find them on http://usps.com or at your local Post Office.
Words of Love
n Approximately 9,800 select Post Offices nationwide will feature holiday greeting card selections this holiday.
Gifts Galore
n Assorted Gift Cards are available in 5,000 Post Offices nationwide. These decorative gift cards from a variety of vendors are available in denominations of $25 and $50 as well as any even dollar amount between $25 and $100.
n The 2014 White House Holiday Ornament is a unique decoration for any Christmas tree. It will be available at select Post Offices, online at the Postal eBay Store, in the USA Philatelic catalog and at http://usps.com/shop for $24.99.
n Feeling artsy? USPS now offers on-demand framed stamp art at its new eBay store. Visit http://ebay.com/stamps for more details.
Wrapping Style
n For a limited time at retail locations, the new medium and large Priority Mail Flat Rate® boxes will feature a printed design. These boxes are available at no extra charge and can add a special touch to your wrapping style. Quantities are limited, so get yours today.
n Skip the late-night wrapping session. Use decorative ReadyPost® holiday boxes and bubble mailers to simplify your gift wrapping needs. ReadyPost shipping products are available in Post Offices in various sizes and designs priced from $1.79 to $4.39.
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
n 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.
n Hundreds of thousands of children of all ages send letters to “Santa Claus, North Pole, Alaska” every year. Unless these letters contain a complete Alaska address, they remain in the area where they were mailed. Postal “elves” go through the letters and separate those that wish Santa a “Happy Birthday” from those that express serious need.
n 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 3 at 10 a.m. (EST), and letter adoption opens to the public December 4. Throughout the season, New York City’s iconic James A. Farley Building on 8th Avenue will host tens of thousands of people who visit the Post Office in person to adopt letters.
Guidelines
n National policy guidelines regarding the handling and adoption of letters addressed to Santa were designed to protect the children who wrote to Santa. These guidelines mandate 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.
n The letter adoption process also includes 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
n 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
n 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 Postal Service 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.
Letters from Santa — North Pole Postmarks
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:
1. Write a personalized letter to a child from Santa Claus and sign it “From Santa.”
2. Insert the letter into an envelope, and address it to the child.
3. Add the return address: SANTA, NORTH POLE, to the envelope.
4. Ensure a First-Class Mail stamp is affixed to the envelope.
5. Place the complete envelope into a larger envelope, with appropriate postage, and address it to:
North Pole Postmark
Postmaster
4141 Postmark Drive
Anchorage, AK 99530-9998
“Letters from Santa” must be received by the Anchorage, AK Postmaster no later than December 15, 2014. Santa’s helpers in Anchorage, AK, will take care of the rest!
Sample Responses for Use when Preparing Written Responses from Santa
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Promotion 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 it’s the best time of year for the Postal Service. Here are some general tips to keep in mind 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 event or a raffle for holiday stamps.
n Be in the lobby to meet and greet — what better time of year to let customers know you care.
Contact your communications program specialist to maximize local media attention. Find your communications representative at: http://about.usps.com/news/media-contacts/welcome.htm.
Consider These Promotional Ideas This Holiday Season
n How to 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.
n 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 warm and fuzzy touch.
n “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, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Forever stamps, and the other available 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.
n 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.
n 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.
n 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.
n Salute the Military — Promote the $2 military discount for Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes 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.
n 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.
— Public Relations,
Corporate Communications, 10-30-14
