Looks like in 2007 UPS, FEDEX Ground, and the USPS will change the way packages are measured and billed. All three carriers are implementing a new (new for ground packages) dimensional weight system.
How will this affect sellers? It will greatly affect those sellers that ship larger, lighter items.
Lets look at an example. Lets take a package that weighs 3 lbs and measures 20x20x12. (By UPS, FEDEX GROUND and USPS Priority mail standards, this is currently not considered an oversized package and ships at the 3 lb rate.)
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USPS Priority Mail:
This item can be shipped currently to zone 1 for $5.00, to zone 8 for $9.00. At the new dimensional weight, for the same product, it would be charged at the 25 lb rate! To zone 1, at the current rate a 25 lb package via Priority mail is $17.30, and the same package to zone 8 $47.40.
Here is how the dimensional weight will be calculated for the USPS Priority Mail.:
How to Determine a Priority Mail Dimensional-Weight Price
For rectangular (box-like) items, measure the length, width, and height. The length is always the longest dimension. Round off each individual measurement to the nearest whole inch (20-1/4 inches is considered 20 inches; 20-3/4 inches is 21 inches). Next, multiply the length by the width by the height. The result is the cubic capacity expressed in cubic inches. If the result is 1,728 cubic inches or less, the parcel is less than 1 cubic foot and dimensional weight pricing does not apply. If the result exceeds 1,728 cubic inches, divide it by 194 (the "dim factor") to determine the dimensional weight. Round up any fraction of a pound to the next whole pound to get the dimensional-weight price for the parcel. If the actual weight of the parcel exceeds the dimensional weight, base the price on the actual weight.
Example:
20 x 20 x 12 = 4800
4800 / 194 = 24.74 pounds
24.74 rounded up is 25 pounds
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UPS GROUND:
From the UPS website:
Effective January 1, 2007, Oversize charges for larger packages shipped via UPS Ground services will be replaced with a simpler rate calculation based on dimensional weight. Dimensional weight will only apply to UPS Ground packages measuring three cubic feet (5,184 cubic inches) or larger. Packages measuring less than three cubic feet will continue to be billed based on actual weight. As a result of this change, dimensional weight charges will gradually increase as the package size increases, eliminating significant steps from one Oversize tier to the next.
How To Measure Cubic Size
To determine if dimensional weight pricing applies to your package, you must first calculate its cubic size. Follow these steps:
Measure the length, width and height of your package. Round each measurement to the nearest whole inch. (For example, 1.00" to 1.49" will be considered 1 inch, and 1.50" to 1.99" will be considered 2 inches.)
Multiply the length by the width by the height. The result is the cubic size of your package.
How To Calculate Dimensional Weight
Once you have calculated the cubic size of your UPS Ground package and have determined that it is 5,184 cubic inches or greater, you are ready to calculate the dimensional weight. Divide the cubic size of your package by 194 rounding up to the nearest full pound.
UPS Domestic Ground Service
L x W x H / 194
Billable weight will be based on either the actual weight or dimensional weight of your UPS Ground package, whichever is greater.
---end UPS website---
Lets look at a 20"x20"x20" package. Currently is considered oversized and if weighs less than 30 lbs is billed at the 30lb rate. Currently if it weighs over 30lbs, it is billed at its actual weight.
20x20x20=8000 / 194 = 41.23 So a 20x20x20" package currently billed at the 30lb rate will jump to a 42 lb rate
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FedEx Ground:
From the FedEx website:
FedEx Ground Dimensional Weight Rate Calculation (Effective February 5, 2007)
For FedEx Ground shipments, a rate calculation based on dimensional weight may apply for packages that are 3 cubic feet (5,184 cubic inches) or larger. These packages will be billed based on dimensional weight unless actual weight is greater. Packages smaller than 3 cubic feet will be billed based on actual weight.
---end FedEx Website---
Lets look at a 20"x20"x20" package. Currently is considered oversized and if weighs less than 30 lbs is billed at the 30lb rate. Currently if it weighs over 30lbs, it is billed at its actual weight. 20x20x20=8000 / 194 = 41.23 So a 20x20x20" package currently billed at the 30lb rate will jump to a 42 lb rate
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Here are the links to the delivery services press releases on their websites. The USPS will use dimensional weight for anything over 1 cubic foot, UPS and FEDEX will use dimensional weight over 3 cubic feet.
USPS:
http://pe.usps.com/DMMAdvisory.asp?Dest=dmmadvisory103006.htm
UPS: http://ezsnip.com/x.php?o3
FedEx Ground:
http://images.fedex.com/us/rates2007/DimWeight.pdf?link=4
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P.S. If you would like to add to the above information or would like to a a comment, please feel free to do so by clicking on the comment button below.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Sunday, October 08, 2006
USPS CLOSED Monday, October 9, 2006 - Columbus Day
Just a reminder that the United States Post Office will be closed on Monday, October 9, 2006 for the Columbus Day holiday. The USPS will reopen on Tuesday October 10, 2006.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Tips for Sending Taxes by Mail
From USPS.com:
We know how important tax time is. That’s why we provide you with flexible product and service choices. You decide how you want to mail your returns—we’ll get them to where they’re going.
When you mail your taxes with the U.S. Postal Service®, you enjoy the benefits of the “timely mailing as timely filing/paying” rule for tax returns and payments. This year, as long as your return is postmarked by April 17 (or 18 if you live in Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, or the District of Columbia) the IRS considers your return to be filed on time.
Remember, if taxes filed from your location need to be sent to a P.O. Box, the U.S. Postal Service is the only carrier who can deliver for you.
Mailing Options
Three mailing options apply a postmark to your return, making you eligible for the “timely mailing” rule!
Express Mail® Service Your tax return can be delivered to many locations the next day guaranteed or your money back. Express Mail includes online tracking and signature at delivery.
Priority Mail® Service Get your tax return delivered in an average of 2-3 days.
First-Class Mail® Service First-Class Mail® is a quick, reliable, and economical way to mail your return.
Proof of Mailing Services
Proof of Mailing services provide you with peace of mind. You can prove you mailed your tax return, verify that it was delivered, or both!
Certificate of Mailing™ Service You’ll get a receipt as evidence that you mailed your tax return.
Certified Mail™ Service A Certified Mail receipt proves you mailed your tax return and gives you online access to verify the date and time of delivery.
Return Receipt This receipt verifies both mailing and delivery, returning a postcard to you signed by the person who received your package.
Online Services
Use USPS.com tools to help you mail your tax returns.
Print Shipping Label You can print Priority Mail & Express Mail labels for all your tax returns—with or without postage—and save yourself precious time.
We know how important tax time is. That’s why we provide you with flexible product and service choices. You decide how you want to mail your returns—we’ll get them to where they’re going.
When you mail your taxes with the U.S. Postal Service®, you enjoy the benefits of the “timely mailing as timely filing/paying” rule for tax returns and payments. This year, as long as your return is postmarked by April 17 (or 18 if you live in Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, or the District of Columbia) the IRS considers your return to be filed on time.
Remember, if taxes filed from your location need to be sent to a P.O. Box, the U.S. Postal Service is the only carrier who can deliver for you.
Mailing Options
Three mailing options apply a postmark to your return, making you eligible for the “timely mailing” rule!
Express Mail® Service Your tax return can be delivered to many locations the next day guaranteed or your money back. Express Mail includes online tracking and signature at delivery.
Priority Mail® Service Get your tax return delivered in an average of 2-3 days.
First-Class Mail® Service First-Class Mail® is a quick, reliable, and economical way to mail your return.
Proof of Mailing Services
Proof of Mailing services provide you with peace of mind. You can prove you mailed your tax return, verify that it was delivered, or both!
Certificate of Mailing™ Service You’ll get a receipt as evidence that you mailed your tax return.
Certified Mail™ Service A Certified Mail receipt proves you mailed your tax return and gives you online access to verify the date and time of delivery.
Return Receipt This receipt verifies both mailing and delivery, returning a postcard to you signed by the person who received your package.
Online Services
Use USPS.com tools to help you mail your tax returns.
Print Shipping Label You can print Priority Mail & Express Mail labels for all your tax returns—with or without postage—and save yourself precious time.
USPS extends hours on tax day at some locations
The U.S. Postal Service® has long provided you with a convenient, reliable way to get your taxes delivered on time. We’ve extended hours on tax day at some locations to make things easier for you. This year when you mail your taxes with the U.S. Postal Service your return is considered filed if postmarked by April 17—or April 18 if you live in Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, or the District of Columbia.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
FREE SHIPPING ON ALL BUBBLE WRAP® ROLLS - ONE (1) DAY ONLY !!! CLICK FOR DETAILS !
FREE SHIPPING ON ALL BUBBLE WRAP® ROLLS - ONE (1) DAY ONLY !!! Monday January 30, 2006 from 12:00am until 11:59pm.In celebration of Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day (BWAD)
FREE SHIPPING is good for one day only (1-30-06), on all BUBBLE WRAP® purchases made from our website ONLY, by shopping cart, fax, or phone (866-971-7201). The shopping cart will still charge shipping, but shipping for BUBBLE WRAP will be refunded within 48 hours. Any other products ordered, shipping will still apply to those items, and shipping will not be refunded for anything except Bubble Wrap® Rolls. Free Shipping applies to United States addresses only, including all 50 United States and the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Order 1 roll or 1000 rolls, free shipping still applies to all bubble wrap purchases. Click HERE for Details!
Please help us spread the word! Please post in Forums, Chat Rooms, Newsletters, and Blogs. Tell all of your friends, family, and co workers.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
BUBBLE WRAP® GETS SOME WELL-DESERVED RESPECT
BUBBLE WRAP® GETS SOME WELL-DESERVED RESPECT
Lee, FL (January 10, 2006)—Famed comedian Rodney Dangerfield was noted for quipping, "I can’t get no respect" – and some think Dangerfield wasn’t speaking only for himself. The publishers of Chase’s Calendar of Events—noted as ‘the Bible of special occasions’ by the Los Angeles Times—has once again appointed a national Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day (BWAD).
Chase’s Calendar of Events has chosen January 30 as this year’s day when Americans should stop and appreciate the uniqueness and versatility of Bubble Wrap®. Although this is the third consecutive year that Chase’s has appointed a BWAD, some Americans have actually celebrated the day since 2001, when "Spirit 95" radio, an FM station in Bloomington, Indiana, coined the day as part of its ‘Bubblympiad’ event.
Fastpack Packaging a Lee, Florida-based distributor of Bubble Wrap® specializing in color Bubble Wrap®, metallic bubble envelopes, and other unique packaging, hosts a Bubble Wrap® Appreciation Day Web site which features virtual Bubble Wrap® games; fun ideas such as the Bubble Wrap® Game, the Bubble Wrap® Personality Test; and more. To visit the BWAD site, log on to http://www.purplebubblewrap.com/ . For more information about Fastpack Packaging, visit http://www.fastpack.net/ .
The Bubble Wrap® story begins in 1957 in a Hawthorne, New Jersey garage. Two engineers, Marc Chavannes and Al Fielding, were developing plastic wallpaper with a paper backing. After their plastic wallpaper failed to take off in the consumer market, Marc and Al realized that their invention could be used as a packaging material. At the time, only abrasive paper products, which did not bode well with heavy or delicate items, were used for packaging. After raising funds for a developmental product line, Marc and Al incorporated Sealed Air Corporation in 1960. Today, Sealed Air is a leading worldwide manufacturer of numerous protective and specialty packaging materials.
FREE SHIPPING ON ALL BUBBLE WRAP® ROLLS - ONE (1) DAY ONLY !!! January 30, 2006 from 12:00am until 11:59pm. Click HERE for Details!
Saturday, December 10, 2005
MAKING A LIST, CHECKING IT TWICE - Postal Service offers tips on holiday packing and shipping
MAKING A LIST, CHECKING IT TWICE
Postal Service offers tips on holiday packing and shipping
Washington, DC - More than 20 billion cards, letters and packages will be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
To help make sure that packages arrive safely and on time, the Postal Service has simple recommendations that will make a big difference for consumers.
When preparing packages, consider the following:
PRINT addresses clearly
Include all address elements (apartment numbers, suite numbers, directional information for streets - for example: 123 S. Main St. or 12456 Elm St. N.).
Include both "to" and "from" information on packages - but only on one side.
Always use shipping tape.
Cushion contents appropriately. For example, fill 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.
Helpful packaging tips include:
Select a box that is strong enough to protect the contents. Leave space for cushioning inside the carton.
Package contents 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. Pack tightly to avoid shifting.
Always use tape that is designed for shipping, such as pressure-sensitive tape, nylon-reinforced craft paper tape, or fiberglass-reinforced pressure-sensitive tape. Do not use wrapping paper, string, masking tape, or cellophane tape.
Placing an index card with the sender's address and recipient's address inside the package will help the Postal Service re-pack boxes that were improperly wrapped and came apart during transporting and processing.
Packages being mailed using postage stamps and weighing 16 ounces or more can be left for the letter carrier to pick up but cannot be deposited into a blue street mailbox.
And don't forget to mark the calendar: ship no later than Dec. 19 so packages arrive on time.
Please Note: Broadcast-quality audio files are being provided for radio reporters on the U.S. Postal Service website. An Audio News Release on this topic featuring Delores Killette, Vice President and Consumer Advocate, is available in the Holiday Press Room: www.usps.com
Postal Service offers tips on holiday packing and shipping
Washington, DC - More than 20 billion cards, letters and packages will be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
To help make sure that packages arrive safely and on time, the Postal Service has simple recommendations that will make a big difference for consumers.
When preparing packages, consider the following:
PRINT addresses clearly
Include all address elements (apartment numbers, suite numbers, directional information for streets - for example: 123 S. Main St. or 12456 Elm St. N.).
Include both "to" and "from" information on packages - but only on one side.
Always use shipping tape.
Cushion contents appropriately. For example, fill 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.
Helpful packaging tips include:
Select a box that is strong enough to protect the contents. Leave space for cushioning inside the carton.
Package contents 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. Pack tightly to avoid shifting.
Always use tape that is designed for shipping, such as pressure-sensitive tape, nylon-reinforced craft paper tape, or fiberglass-reinforced pressure-sensitive tape. Do not use wrapping paper, string, masking tape, or cellophane tape.
Placing an index card with the sender's address and recipient's address inside the package will help the Postal Service re-pack boxes that were improperly wrapped and came apart during transporting and processing.
Packages being mailed using postage stamps and weighing 16 ounces or more can be left for the letter carrier to pick up but cannot be deposited into a blue street mailbox.
And don't forget to mark the calendar: ship no later than Dec. 19 so packages arrive on time.
Please Note: Broadcast-quality audio files are being provided for radio reporters on the U.S. Postal Service website. An Audio News Release on this topic featuring Delores Killette, Vice President and Consumer Advocate, is available in the Holiday Press Room: www.usps.com
POSTAL SERVICE PREPARES FOR BUSIEST MAILING AND DELIVERY DAYS
POSTAL SERVICE PREPARES FOR BUSIEST MAILING AND DELIVERY DAYS
20 billion letters, packages and cards heading across America through Christmas
Washington, DC - If all the mail the U.S. Postal Service will deliver on Dec. 19 was placed end to end, it would circle the globe. Six times.
The Postal Service will deliver 20 billion letters, packages and cards between Thanksgiving and Christmas, with the busiest mailing day expected to be Monday, Dec. 19, with more than 280 million cards and letters being cancelled - more than twice that of an average day. Total mail volume on Dec. 19 is expected to rise to 900 million pieces of mail, up from 670 million pieces on an average day.
"We know that our customers depend on us during the holidays. We've been delivering holiday cheer for 236 years," said Patrick Donahoe, Deputy Postmaster General and Chief Operating Officer. "If I could sit down at the kitchen table with every American family this holiday season, I would share just one simple message. We're ready for you!"
About 100 million First-Class letters are processed every day. That number increases to 150 million a day during the holidays. About 1 million packages will be delivered every day through Christmas Eve. The busiest delivery day will be Wednesday, Dec. 21.
"Our commitment to our customers remains strong. We have a challenge ahead that is going to be met. And we have plans in place to meet them," Donahoe said.
More than 7,400 Post Offices across the country have extended hours into the evening and weekends for the holiday season. Within the next two weeks, the National Operations Center will be staffed around the clock, seven days a week, to monitor and coordinate mail transportation nationwide.
More than 2,500 Automated Postal Centers (APCs) have been installed in Postal facilities, reaching into more and more neighborhoods around the country to make visiting a Post Office easier. Just as an ATM is a virtual, stand-alone bank, the APC is a virtual, stand-alone Post Office. The APC does everything short of face-to-face transactions, dispensing stamps, weighing packages and calculating postage for Express Mail, Priority Mail, First-Class Mail and Parcel Post items.
APCs also provide extensive mailing information and ZIP Code locators.
And, like Santa Claus, the Post Office is everywhere, with 36,000 locations across the country and on every computer in America at usps.com. Almost anything that can be done at a Post Office can be done online at usps.com, at a time that is convenient for the customer.
Ship a package, purchase stamps, hold mail, request a carrier pick up, and design and print greeting cards, and find a ZIP Code. Included in the more than two dozen services available through the Postal Service website are Click-N-Ship and Carrier Pickup. Click-N-Ship allows customers to print labels and pay for postage and insurance from laptops or desktops.
With Carrier Pickup, customers can take advantage of the personal convenience and service of having packages picked up at their home or office, saving a trip to the Post Office, regardless of the weather. Unlike other shipping companies, there is no fee for the service.
Customers simply print Priority Mail and Express Mail labels with Click-N-Ship, then log on to www.usps.com to request a pickup of the package. A letter carrier will pick it up at no extra charge during the next day's delivery.
Customers also can call 1-800-ASK-USPS for general information on hours and services. More than 2.2 billion holiday cookie stamps have been printed and are available to customers by calling 1-800-STAMP-24. Stamps also may be purchased at more than 80,000 locations, including supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores and ATMs, in addition to Post Offices.
"With the holidays just around the corner, everyone can use a little help. Let our convenient online services and Postal locations around town give you more time to spend with family and friends this holiday season," Donahoe said.
20 billion letters, packages and cards heading across America through Christmas
Washington, DC - If all the mail the U.S. Postal Service will deliver on Dec. 19 was placed end to end, it would circle the globe. Six times.
The Postal Service will deliver 20 billion letters, packages and cards between Thanksgiving and Christmas, with the busiest mailing day expected to be Monday, Dec. 19, with more than 280 million cards and letters being cancelled - more than twice that of an average day. Total mail volume on Dec. 19 is expected to rise to 900 million pieces of mail, up from 670 million pieces on an average day.
"We know that our customers depend on us during the holidays. We've been delivering holiday cheer for 236 years," said Patrick Donahoe, Deputy Postmaster General and Chief Operating Officer. "If I could sit down at the kitchen table with every American family this holiday season, I would share just one simple message. We're ready for you!"
About 100 million First-Class letters are processed every day. That number increases to 150 million a day during the holidays. About 1 million packages will be delivered every day through Christmas Eve. The busiest delivery day will be Wednesday, Dec. 21.
"Our commitment to our customers remains strong. We have a challenge ahead that is going to be met. And we have plans in place to meet them," Donahoe said.
More than 7,400 Post Offices across the country have extended hours into the evening and weekends for the holiday season. Within the next two weeks, the National Operations Center will be staffed around the clock, seven days a week, to monitor and coordinate mail transportation nationwide.
More than 2,500 Automated Postal Centers (APCs) have been installed in Postal facilities, reaching into more and more neighborhoods around the country to make visiting a Post Office easier. Just as an ATM is a virtual, stand-alone bank, the APC is a virtual, stand-alone Post Office. The APC does everything short of face-to-face transactions, dispensing stamps, weighing packages and calculating postage for Express Mail, Priority Mail, First-Class Mail and Parcel Post items.
APCs also provide extensive mailing information and ZIP Code locators.
And, like Santa Claus, the Post Office is everywhere, with 36,000 locations across the country and on every computer in America at usps.com. Almost anything that can be done at a Post Office can be done online at usps.com, at a time that is convenient for the customer.
Ship a package, purchase stamps, hold mail, request a carrier pick up, and design and print greeting cards, and find a ZIP Code. Included in the more than two dozen services available through the Postal Service website are Click-N-Ship and Carrier Pickup. Click-N-Ship allows customers to print labels and pay for postage and insurance from laptops or desktops.
With Carrier Pickup, customers can take advantage of the personal convenience and service of having packages picked up at their home or office, saving a trip to the Post Office, regardless of the weather. Unlike other shipping companies, there is no fee for the service.
Customers simply print Priority Mail and Express Mail labels with Click-N-Ship, then log on to www.usps.com to request a pickup of the package. A letter carrier will pick it up at no extra charge during the next day's delivery.
Customers also can call 1-800-ASK-USPS for general information on hours and services. More than 2.2 billion holiday cookie stamps have been printed and are available to customers by calling 1-800-STAMP-24. Stamps also may be purchased at more than 80,000 locations, including supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores and ATMs, in addition to Post Offices.
"With the holidays just around the corner, everyone can use a little help. Let our convenient online services and Postal locations around town give you more time to spend with family and friends this holiday season," Donahoe said.
'LETTERS TO SANTA' ADD TO THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS
'LETTERS TO SANTA' ADD TO THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS
And a letter from Santa is even better!
Washington, DC — Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. And he writes letters.
In 1912, then Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local postmasters to allow individuals or institutions to use letters addressed to Santa Claus for philanthropic purposes. This tradition is carried on today, with Post Offices across the country making "Letters to Santa" available to individuals and groups upon request.
While Santa receives most of his mail at the North Pole, AK, some are sent to Santa's helpers, charitable organizations, Postal Service employees and volunteers who help make a child's wishes come true. Some of these letters will be featured during a one-hour special, "Dear Santa," airing on Dec. 9 on the FOX Network.
Like all mail, it's important that letters to Santa include a complete return address with ZIP Code and a First-Class postage stamp. Santa enjoys candy canes and cookies, and his reindeer are known to enjoy fresh hay. But because these treats can be damaged or crushed when sent in an envelope, Postal officials know that such treats are best left under the tree on Christmas Eve.
Interested organizations should contact their local Post Offices to receive and respond to Letters to Santa.
There are simple steps for families to follow if they are interested in having a "response" from Santa postmarked from the North Pole.
Parents, families or friends helping a child write a letter to Santa should mention some of the child's requests and information in the letter from Santa. Adding a line or two about the child's accomplishments or successes this year is encouraged.
Once the response is written, place the letter in a stamped envelope addressed to the child. "North Pole, AK" should be the return address. Then place the envelope into a larger, properly stamped, First-Class Mail or Priority Mail envelope and mail to:
North Pole Christmas Cancellation
Postmaster
5400 Mail Trail
Fairbanks, AK 99709-9998
North Pole postmark requests must arrive in Fairbanks, AK, before Dec. 15. Parents should send letters by Priority Mail after that date.
For bigger "kids," several cities participate in the holiday re-mailing, including Bethlehem, PA; Garland, UT; Nazareth, MI; Antler, ND and Snowflake, AZ. For a complete list of cities participating in the re-mailing program, visit the Holiday Press Room at usps.com and click on "Holiday Cities."
Those interested in having postmarks from these cities should place all addressed and stamped cards and letters in a larger envelope addressed to Postmaster and include city, state and ZIP Code. Use the ZIP Code Locator on usps.com if a ZIP Code is unknown.
"Santa has a lot of helpers this year, and we're happy to do our part to deliver the holidays. It's what we do best," said John E. Potter, Postmaster General and CEO of the U.S. Postal Service.
And a letter from Santa is even better!
Washington, DC — Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. And he writes letters.
In 1912, then Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local postmasters to allow individuals or institutions to use letters addressed to Santa Claus for philanthropic purposes. This tradition is carried on today, with Post Offices across the country making "Letters to Santa" available to individuals and groups upon request.
While Santa receives most of his mail at the North Pole, AK, some are sent to Santa's helpers, charitable organizations, Postal Service employees and volunteers who help make a child's wishes come true. Some of these letters will be featured during a one-hour special, "Dear Santa," airing on Dec. 9 on the FOX Network.
Like all mail, it's important that letters to Santa include a complete return address with ZIP Code and a First-Class postage stamp. Santa enjoys candy canes and cookies, and his reindeer are known to enjoy fresh hay. But because these treats can be damaged or crushed when sent in an envelope, Postal officials know that such treats are best left under the tree on Christmas Eve.
Interested organizations should contact their local Post Offices to receive and respond to Letters to Santa.
There are simple steps for families to follow if they are interested in having a "response" from Santa postmarked from the North Pole.
Parents, families or friends helping a child write a letter to Santa should mention some of the child's requests and information in the letter from Santa. Adding a line or two about the child's accomplishments or successes this year is encouraged.
Once the response is written, place the letter in a stamped envelope addressed to the child. "North Pole, AK" should be the return address. Then place the envelope into a larger, properly stamped, First-Class Mail or Priority Mail envelope and mail to:
North Pole Christmas Cancellation
Postmaster
5400 Mail Trail
Fairbanks, AK 99709-9998
North Pole postmark requests must arrive in Fairbanks, AK, before Dec. 15. Parents should send letters by Priority Mail after that date.
For bigger "kids," several cities participate in the holiday re-mailing, including Bethlehem, PA; Garland, UT; Nazareth, MI; Antler, ND and Snowflake, AZ. For a complete list of cities participating in the re-mailing program, visit the Holiday Press Room at usps.com and click on "Holiday Cities."
Those interested in having postmarks from these cities should place all addressed and stamped cards and letters in a larger envelope addressed to Postmaster and include city, state and ZIP Code. Use the ZIP Code Locator on usps.com if a ZIP Code is unknown.
"Santa has a lot of helpers this year, and we're happy to do our part to deliver the holidays. It's what we do best," said John E. Potter, Postmaster General and CEO of the U.S. Postal Service.
SANTA’S ZIP CODE
SANTA’S ZIP CODE. The Postal Service not only helps get letters to Santa, we’re there to help the big guy when it comes to getting letters from Santa. So, if you know people who want that prestigious North Pole postmark on their greeting cards, tell them they should stamp, address, seal, and mail their cards together inside a larger envelope to:NORTH POLE CHRISTMAS CANCELLATIONPOSTMASTER5400 MAIL TRAILFAIRBANKS AK 99709-9998The cards will be postmarked and delivered as addressed. North Pole postmark requests must arrive in Fairbanks, AK, before Dec. 15, 2005.
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