Give Your Child a Letter From Santa

Christmas is a magical time of year, especially for children. You can make Christmas even more

magical by giving your child a letter from Santa!

The Letters From Santa program by the USPS allows your children to get a personalized response from Santa, including a postmark from the North Pole. You don’t want to wait too long to make this magical holiday memory though, because the deadline is coming up. All letters must be received by December 15^th, so you want to get those letters out ideally by the end of this week.

So, how does it work exactly?

First, have your child write their letter to Santa. You’ll want to have them address their letter to “Santa Claus, North Pole.”

Next, open the letter when you are alone and read the letter. Now is when the response comes in. Write a personal response to your child’s letter. This response should directly respond to the content of your child’s letter. It’s also a good idea to highlight some of your child’s accomplishments in the letter, such as good grades or how they help around the house. If you’re worried they will recognize your handwriting, ask another family member or a friend to re-write the response for you.

Put this response letter in an envelope and address it to your child, with the return address reading “Santa Claus, North Pole”. Don’t forget to add a stamp, preferably a Christmas one.

Now you need to place this response letter into a larger envelope, along with the correct postage, and address it to:

North Pole Postmark
Postmaster
4141 Postmark Drive
Anchorage, AK 99530-9998.

Please remember that your child’s letter must arrive in Alaska by the 15^th to guarantee a response!

The look on your child’s face will be priceless when they see the envelope addressed to them from Santa. So what are you waiting for? Remind your child to write their letter to Santa so you can get working on that response for them!

Tips for Wedding Invitations

You likely use the USPS for many important reasons, but few are as important as your wedding invitations. But wedding invitations are often more complicated than sending a standard letter, which is why we want to bring you some tips to make sure you get your wedding invitations sent off without a hitch.

1.      Before you stuff all those envelopes and mail them, take one to the post office and have it weighed. Wedding invitations are often heavier than one ounce, which means your postage will be higher. Your postage will also likely increase if your invitation is not a standard size. This means if you are sending square invitations, oddly shaped items, etc, then you will get charged an extra $0.22 per invitation. Take this into account when choosing your invitations and make sure to have the correct postage before mailing.

2.      There can be as many or as few pieces of your invitation that you want. One piece that will always be included is the invitation itself. This explains the event, the location, the date, and the time. Everything after this is optional. Response cards are common, as they are an easy way to receive your RSVPs. Enclosure cards are also popular. These give details regarding other aspects of your wedding, such as information about the reception, accommodations, directions, and any other information you want guests to know. If you’re trying to save money, skip both of these extras. Instead provide guests with a link to your wedding website and have all the information available there.

3.      Many arguments can be made about if you should send Save the Dates, and when you should send out invitations. Looking for a more general rule of thumb? Send out Save the Dates 6-12 months before the wedding. Earlier is better for destination weddings or guests who are coming from out of the country. Send your invitations 4-12 weeks before the wedding. Again, the sooner you send them, the more time you have to get your RSVPs. Don’t wait until the last minute and cause unnecessary stress!

4.      There are many “rules” about addressing your envelopes. Our only rule is this; make sure all information is correct before mailing out invitations.

5.      Don’t just drop off your invitations in any mailbox, take them to the post office. When you go in, ask them to hand-cancel your mail. This means your invitations will be sorted by hand, instead of going through a machine where they can get damaged.

These are just a few tips to get you on the right track when it comes to sending your wedding invitations. Congratulations on your engagement! 

Tools of the Trade

Have you recently been inspired to start writing letters? But are you also intimidated by the letter

writing tips you’ve found on Pinterest? While you can certainly strive to create beautiful letters like you see online, if you’re just starting this new hobby you have to remember it takes practice. We’ve put together a list of supplies you’ll want to have on-hand if you want to take up the habit of writing letters.

1.      Stationary. There’s thousands and thousands of options out there when it comes to stationary. Choose one that you send all the time, giving your letters a signature look. Or choose different types so you can change it up based on the person, occasion, and season. Stationary will make your letters stand out, plus it’s more fun to use than plain paper.

2.      Pens. It may be obvious, but there’s many types of pens you can choose from. Want to keep it simple? Go for black. Want something more eye-catching? Write in a different color. Maybe you want to learn to use a fountain pen, which will give your letters a more elegant appearance. Invest in some high-quality pens specifically for letters!

3.      Stickers. If you’re looking for an easy way to dress up your letters and envelopes, stickers are a cheap and easy way to do that. There’s tons of options out there to choose from. Just make sure you don’t block the address or the return address.

4.      Stamps. Stamps are another easy way to dress up your letters and envelopes. Like stickers, you can find tons of options at your local craft store or online.

5.      A letter opener. If you’re going to be sending a lot of letters, you’re going to start receiving a lot of letters as well. You’ll want to have a tool to make it easy to open those letters without destroying the envelopes. Maybe this is to keep the return address safe, maybe it’s because a lot of work went into the envelope. No matter the reason, you should plan to invest in a letter opener.

These simple items will help you get started when it comes to letter writing!

The Start of a Penpalship

So, you have a new penpal. You’re ready to send your first letter and excited to get to know this new person. But the big question, especially if this is your first time writing to a penpal, is how to start.

Penning your first letter to a penpal can be an overwhelming experience. You want to introduce yourself, but you don’t want to sound self-centered. You want to talk about your interests, but you don’t want it to get boring. Today we’re going to give you a few tips to write a great first letter!

First off, don’t overwhelm your new friend by giving them every detail about your life. When you meet someone new in real life, you don’t get into very asinine details such as your favorite color, the name of your first pet, or your favorite high school memory. Treat your letter like the first meeting with a potential friend. Tell them about your hobbies and interests. Your job or school. Where you live. Just make such not to give too many details, or they have nothing else to learn about you!

Once you have these personal details out of the way, talk about what inspired you to find a penpal. It’s not an activity everyone participates in, but you and your penpal do! It is one thing you already have in common, so acknowledge it. Discuss why you were drawn to it. Ask if your new friend has had a penpal before.

Don’t make the letter all about you. Make sure you ask some questions too! A letter should feel like a conversation. Ask about their life (but keep it general, not too personal). You may ask what they do, what their interests are, their favorite movies or books, etc. If you already know about something you have in common, ask some more specific questions about that. You have to give them something to respond to as well.

It’s also a good idea, at some point in the letter but generally the beginning, to mention where you got this person’s information. This is simply polite and we highly encourage you to include this in your letter.

For the first letter, don’t make it too long. A page or two is sufficient for an introduction. And, this is important, don’t make them feel obligated to write back. You don’t want to make this person uncomfortable. The goal of course is that they do write you, but pressuring them into it isn’t going to do you any favors.

That’s it! You’re ready to reach out to a new potential friend. Good luck!

Put Together the Perfect Care Package

Are you looking to send a care package but aren’t sure what to send? Sick of sending the same items to the camp your kid is it? Well don’t worry, because we’ve come up with some great themed care packages to help you out!

For the Artist: Create a care package filled with things to inspire your artist! Send colored pencils, markers, and crayons. Pack up multiple types of paper. Send along a small art book to give them inspiration. A sketchbook with pencils is great for allowing them to draw. Encourage them to bring home their art to show you when camp is over!

For the Fashionable: Send along a spa in a box! Include nail polish, nail polish remover, cotton balls, lotion, and lip gloss. Throw in some glitter, hairspray, and makeup such as eye shadow and blush. Include some fun hair accessories such as ribbons and clips. This will make for a fun girl’s night in the bunk!      

For the Thinker: Got a kid that just loves school? Send them items that allow them to use their minds while away at camp. Great options include paperback novels, Sudoku books, crosswords, word searches, and a reading light. Send along a book of riddles and challenge them to solve as many as possible before they get home. While there’s tons of activities while at camp there’s sure to be some down time, and this care package is great for that.

For the Nostalgic: Will your kid come back and inevitably keep speaking of their camp experiences and friends over and over? Send them a package with things to help them remember those memories. Send materials for friendship bracelets, a disposable camera, and scrapbooking materials. A journal will allow your kid to record each day so they can read back on it later. Send along a backpack or shirt that can be written on so your kid can collect everyone’s signatures before they come home!

For the Social Butterfly: Send your kid a lot of items that can be used by a lot of people. Playing cards and Mad Libs are two great items that can provide hours of fun for the entire bunk. Some more outdoor activities such as Frisbees or water guns allow for more physical play with friends. Snacks for the bunk such as homemade cookies are sure to be a huge hit, but make sure you check the camp’s policy on food being mailed in.

For the Fan: Is your child a huge fangirl or fanboy? Do they obsess over their favorite TV show, book, or sport hero? Make a themed care package around their obsession. For example, say they are into Harry Potter. Include a Hogwarts acceptance letter. Send some temporary tattoos or stickers. Make or a buy a Harry Potter themed snack. A water bottle with the Hogwarts houses on it is practical and fun. This type of care package will really show you know your kids!

Now before you go off creating that perfect care package, make sure to look at the camp rules. Some camps prohibit food, water toys, and sometimes care packages all together! Know what’s appropriate for your child’s camp then start creating and mailing those great care packages!                         

Top Movies Involving Mail

Looking for something to watch during your next movie night? We’ve compiled a list of great movies that heavily feature the Postal service and letter writing!

1.      Dear God – Dear God is a film about a con artist who gets caught, arrested, and convicted. His punishment? Either find and keep a full-time job or go to jail. He begins working for the USPS in the dead letter office, a facility where undeliverable mail is handled. He discovers letters addressed to the Easter Bunny, God, and more. After inadvertently answering one of the letters to God, his co-workers, and he himself, become inspired to answer even more letters to do good in the world.

2.      Dear John – This movie about an American soldier is sure to pull at your heartstrings. While on break from the war, he meets and falls for a college girl and the two begin a relationship via mail. Through almost nothing but letters, they slowly get to know each other. We won’t spoil the end for you, but it’s written by Nicholas Sparks, which should give you a clue.

3.      The Lake House – When a woman buys a beautiful home located beside a lake, she could never have imagined the mailbox was magic. But that’s exactly what it is. She begins corresponding with a man who is living two years in her past. Through these letters they begin to get to know each other and eventually, fall in love. The movie chronicles their difficulty in finding a way to finally meet in person.

4.      The Postman – This post-apocalyptic adventure film may seem far removed from the world of letters and mailboxes, but it is actually just the opposite. It takes place fifteen years after an apocalyptic event that wiped out most technology and severely damaged humanity. The protagonist of the film happens to find an old USPS uniform. He puts it on, and through a series of events inspires hope and other individuals to join the “USPS” to re-establish communication and rebuild the United States.

5.      The Notebook – This famous tale may not feature letters and mailboxes as prominently as our other selections, but there’s one bit that has always stuck with us. During the course of the movie, Noah writes one letter to Allie every day for an entire year. His dedication to the woman he loved was moving enough that this move made our top five.

This is, of course, not a comprehensive list. If you’re looking for a fun film to watch for the first time, or even to re-watch, we recommend you give one of these a try. 

Stamp Out Hunger Tomorrow

Tomorrow, May 14^th, is the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive! Over 10,000 cities are invited to participate in the nation’s largest one day food drive.

Image courtesy of usps.com

Participating is easy. All you need to do is leave a bag of non-perishable food items by your mailbox on Saturday May 14^th. Make sure to drop it off early before your letter carrier arrives. They’ll pick it up and your donation will be taken to local food banks, homeless shelters, and more. At this time of year, donations are extremely important. Many people tend to donate during the holiday season of Thanksgiving and Christmas. By May, these donations are growing thin, leaving food banks in desperate need of food to serve to millions of hungry Americans.

While any donation is appreciated, we have some tips of you want to go the extra mile. While some donations will go to families who simply don’t have enough money for enough food, some of your donations will likely go to homeless individuals without the conveniences most of us have. By keeping this in mind, you can provide food that will work for anyone, whether they have access to a kitchen or not.

·        Donate foods that don’t require any type of cooking at all. These are great for homeless individuals, who will be able to eat on the go and have nowhere to prepare food. Examples include cereal, granola bars, and fruit cups.

·        Canned food is great and provides good meals. Soup, beans, and chili are great easy options for those who are hungry. If possible though, try to donate canned food that has lids that do not require can openers. Imagine how frustrating it would be to have access to dinner but be unable to open it.

·        When donating foods that do need to be prepared, try to provide foods that are filling. Ramen is quick and easy, but not a very filling meal. Instead try options such as pasta, dry beans, peanut butter, and rice.

·        Food banks see a lot of donations of canned vegetables and fruits. While this is great, protein is often lacking from food banks. Throw in some canned chicken, tuna, or stews with some type of protein included.

·        Don’t be shy of including some luxury items. When you don’t have enough to eat, splurging on luxury items isn’t possible. People will really appreciate something a little special. Great options include instant coffee, tea, apple sauce, and more.

Your food donations will be a great help to your local community, so consider using your mailbox for something extra special tomorrow! 

The History of the Mailbox

You may be surprised to note that mailboxes were not common until the 1900s. In fact, it wasn’t until 1923 that it was required each house have a residential mailbox or letter slot.

During the early 1800s nearly all letters in the USA were taken to the post office to be mailed. Similarly, each individual had to check with the post office to see if they had received any mail. During the second half of the 1800s, mail started to be delivered to citizens in cities, and eventually, to everyone. There was a period when USPS employees delivered to the citizens themselves, rather than the house. Due to this, the mail would be delivered across the same area multiple times a day. This is when mailboxes began to be encouraged and eventually, required.

At the beginning mailboxes didn’t even have any mandates when it came to size and shape. This meant that individuals could use nearly anything for a mailbox. Now there are many requirements when it comes to your mailbox, such as height, door size, and more.

Mailboxes have gone through many changes through the years. Residential mailboxes can come in all sorts of styles, including locking mailboxes. Mailboxes may be manufactured from plastic, wood, and more. Cluster box units were developed to serve many individuals in just one, single box. It has been suggested in recent years that door-to-door delivery be replaced entirely by CBU delivery to save on money. This has been met with a lot of protests.

Mail delivery is an important part of US history. The mailbox allows for both outgoing and incoming mail. It provides storage for all types of items; a postcard from a relative overseas, a letter from a family member, a business letter for employees, advertising for companies, a package ordered online, and more. The mailbox is incredibly important, even if it has been around for a shorter time than any of us thought. It is so essential, in fact, that one may have believed it had been around as long as the US Postal Service. 

When to Use Snail Mail

Even the USPS can admit that sometimes using emails and social media is simply faster. That doesn’t mean that technology should be used exclusively. There’s still certain times when using traditional snail mail is the way to go. Here’s a list of some of the best times to send your message through the mail and to someone’s mailbox, versus their inbox.

1.      When you want to contact an elected official, send them a letter. The amount of emails they get in a day is incredibly large, so a hand-written letter is more likely to draw interest than an email. Even President Obama is known for regularly reading letters from ordinary American citizens.

2.      Sending thank you notes through the mail is much more appropriate than sending an email. If you want to express your gratitude, take a bit of extra time and mail a letter or card. It really shows that you appreciate the person.

3.      Send loved ones physical cards during the holidays. It’s easy enough to write on someone’s wall for their Birthday or send a text during Christmas. However, it is unlikely that the person will remember you even acknowledged the holiday among the rest of their digital well-wishes. Sending a card in the mail will get their attention and show you thought of them.

4.      On the same token, send cards for more personal occasions. Examples include graduations, new babies, engagements, retirement, and more.

5.      Mail postcards while you’re on a trip and thinking of someone. Tagging them in pictures or sending them a text just isn’t the same as a classic postcard.

6.      Getting married? Send out wedding invitations the traditional way. There are many reasons for this, a big one being that if you email it, it’s likely to be missed!

7.      In love? Put pen to paper and write a love letter to your significant other. This is great for long distance relationships or even if you live in the same house or apartment. They’ll be surprised, pleased, and touched by your gesture.

8.      Most people know that after an interview, you should follow-up with a thank you note. These are often emailed, but try mailing one instead. It’s sure to make you stand out!

9.      If you work in the business/marketing world, using direct mail can actually have a larger impact than emails. People receive more spam emails in a day than spam mail, and with the right design work your direct mail could really stand out.

10.   Above all, send letters to people. It’s much more personal, and it will be an item they can treasure for many years.

You’ll note that there is something in common with everything on this list. If you want to stand out from the crowd, properly express yourself, and get noticed, sending snail mail is the perfect way to do it.

Advantages of CBUs

You can’t look into the USPS without finding articles and opinion pieces revolving around ways to assist with their financial struggles. There have been a multitude of proposals, from eliminating Saturday delivery to adding postal banking to all post offices. Another idea that has been thrown around is the idea of eliminating door-to-door delivery. What this means is that in future developments, all mailboxes will be cluster box units. In some cases old developments may even be encouraged to make the switch. If you aren’t familiar with CBUs, we’re here to explain all the fantastic advantages that come with them.

Most American citizens are aware of the USPS financial situation. Due largely in part to declining mail volumes and a law requiring the Postal Service to pre-fund retiree health benefits, the USPS rarely makes a profit. In fact it turned a profit this financial quarter for the first time in five years. However, without further reform, it is unlikely that this is a trend that will continue. With this in mind, one must consider the amount of money the USPS would save by switching to CBU delivery. CBUs allow letter carriers to make fewer stops, thereby saving time and money. Instead of walking around an entire block to deliver the mail, a letter carrier would be able to stop at just one CBU and service the entire block. This would make mail delivery much faster.

CBUs are also much safer than traditional mailboxes. The typical door-to-door mailbox has no type of lock or security. This opens you to the possibility of mail and identity theft. Citizens are particularly vulnerable around tax season, when thieves are seeking tax documents and checks. They may go through all mailboxes on the block, or just mailboxes with the outgoing mail flag up. CBUs require a key to gain access which creates an extra barrier between thieves and your mail.

Another advantage of CBUs is that they remove headaches for ordinary citizens. With a typical residential mailbox, you have to maintain it. You must make sure the post is secure and that the mailbox is painted. You have to mow and shovel around the post. Depending on where you are, you may even have to shovel a path to your mailbox or risk the letter carriers refusing to deliver your mail. With a CBU, all those hassles disappear. All you have to do is walk (or drive) to the CBU, take your mail, and go.   

Residential mailboxes go through a lot of use, and often they will show it. CBUs are designed to be

more resistant to use and the elements, especially if they are made for outdoor use. A CBU will not require painting and regular maintenance. Not only is this good for the mailbox, but it is good for mail and parcels too. With extra protection parcels and mail are less likely to get wet and damaged from the elements.

This final advantage we want to discuss today admittedly will not apply to all CBUs, but it will apply to some. Many CBUs do not have only tenant mail compartments, but parcel lockers as well. This eliminates the need for you to make a trip to the post office to pick up your packages. It also means your packages won’t be left on the porch for all to see. Packages are secured in a durable parcel locker, accessible only by key.

There are many reasons why CBUs are a great option. If you encounter them at your next home, give them a chance before you write off these high quality units.  

Frozen Mailbox Locks

It may be a mild winter across much of the USA, but that’s not the case for everywhere in Canada. In fact, many of the outdoor community mailboxes have frozen in the cold weather! While we are used to car locks and car doors freezing, it’s not so common to have our mailboxes frozen shut.

Some Canadian citizens have resorted to de-icing fluid to get into their mailboxes, with mixed results. Canada Post has advised residents to contact them directly, rather than attempting to get into their mailboxes themselves out of fear of the mailboxes being damaged.

This has been a problem for many citizens who are waiting for checks, medications, and important documents in the mail. In addition, letter carriers are also unable to access mailboxes, so even if residents do get into their mailboxes they will likely be missing some of their mail.

Frozen locks aren’t the only problem Canadian residents have had to face this winter. Some community mailboxes have been challenging for citizens to get to at all. This is due to a buildup of snow and ice blocking some of the mailboxes.

The decision to end door-to-door delivery and replace it with outdoor community mailboxes was already fairly unpopular across the country, but this has only made matters worse. Citizens are left asking why mailboxes weren’t outfitted with better locks, or built under an enclosure. Others are asking who is responsible for clearing the snow and ice. Some even complain that making their way to the mailboxes is dangerous because of snowy and icy conditions.

There have been few reports of similar conditions happening here in the USA, though of course outdoor community mailboxes are less prevalent here compared to Canada.

Hopefully temperatures will soon be on the rise and residents will begin getting back into their mailboxes.