Two million holiday cards, letters and packages were mailed in Utah on Monday, making it the busiest in-state collection day of the year for the U.S. Postal Service.

Refreshments, holiday music, packaging demonstrations and Santa Claus were on hand yesterday at Salt Lake City's main post office to mark that occasion.

But the superlatives aren't over yet. Wednesday, Dec. 17, is expected to be the largest mail delivery day of the year with 6 million total items — including non-holiday mail — finding their way into Utah mailboxes that day.

"We've been real busy today," said Thelxi Hauenstein, customer relations coordinator at the Salt Lake City post office. "But we've been well-staffed. It's been steady all day."

Hauenstein said an official mail count wouldn't be available until early today but said there's little doubt Monday was the busiest collection day of the year. She said postmarks increase by 50 percent from Thanksgiving to Christmas, as compared to the rest of the year.

Nationally, some 280 million pieces of holiday mail were collected Monday. Mail volume for the year is up about 1 percent nationally compared to 2002, Hauenstein said.

The Postal Service also has an expanded Web site, www.usps.com, that offers "click and ship" options not previously available. To ship packages online, all you need is a computer, printer, scale, Internet connection and credit card.

The final deadlines for mailing to non-U.S. locations was Monday. However, Hauenstein suggests the following options now for U.S. mail:

For packages, use priority mail through Dec. 20 for shipping to U.S. locations.

From Dec. 20-23, use Express Mail to ensure delivery by Christmas.

Mail all holiday cards or letters going out of state by Saturday, Dec. 20.

Mail all letters and cards to other Utah locations by Monday, Dec. 22, to ensure delivery before Christmas.

Christmas mail in Utah, by the numbers:

1 percent — increase of overall mail volume in 2003 vs. 2002.

39 — total post offices in Salt Lake County.

50 percent — total increase in mail volume from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

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2,200 — number of mail carriers in Utah.

2 million — pieces of holiday mail posted Monday in Utah.

6 million — total number of mail pieces to be delivered Wednesday in Utah.


E-MAIL: lynn@desnews.com

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