With the holiday season upon us, post office employees may find themselves up to their ears in packages. The post office is asking you to mail early to avoid a last minute rush.
More than two weeks before Christmas and the Rhinelander post office is already hopping with customers mailing cards and gifts. Joan Santy walks in carrying a large package.
“I like to mail early so I know they get it. I’d feel bad if they didn’t get their presents on time, and this way I know it’s done, and I can relax a little bit.”
Mailing early helps post office workers relax too, says Rhinelander Postmaster Anthony Turek. He explains that the packages start to pile up this time of year.
“Super busy, yes. Extremely busy.”
Turek says the sorting and delivery process is the same every day, but the volume is what makes the holiday season stand out.
“This is kind of what you’d expect to see…now the window, a little different.”
Behind the post office counter is a warehouse full of boxes, crates and rolling carts.
“So we’ve got two different areas where our packages are coming in.”
So what can people do to make a postal worker’s day easier during this busy time?
“They can come in and ship early in the day and early in the season. So, now would be great. And on any given day, the earlier that they get into the post office, that is always going to make it easier.”
Turek says to arrive in time for Christmas regular first class mail must be sent by Friday the 20th . For very last minute gifts, Monday the 23rd is the express mail deadline.
