BY B.G. GREGG
The Cincinnati Enquirer
When it comes to delivering Christmas goodies, even Santa Claus takes a back seat to the U.S. Post Office.
The Cincinnati Processing and Distribution Center in Queensgate will handle 2 million to 3 million pieces of mail a day as Christmas nears. That's two to three times the normal amount.
But don't expect a long wait for that Christmas card from grandma. "We don't want our service, and don't expect our service, to slip during the Christmas season," said Bob Edgar, manager of distribution operations.
The post office has hired 275 extra people to work the three weeks prior to Christmas and may hire as many as 175 more, Mr. Edgar said. Normally, about 2,500 people work at the distribution center.
An example of the increased business: on a typical Monday in the middle of the month, the distribution center would handle about 1 million pieces of mail. On Dec. 14, a Monday, Mr. Edgar projects the center will handle 2 million pieces of mail.
"Some of our larger offices are going to cancel about 500,000 letters for us, and normally they would not cancel any," he said. "So you're actually talking about 2.6 million pieces."
A brisk pace will be the rule at postal facilities throughout the nation, as it always is this time of year.
In Lebanon, Postmaster Larry Webb is going through his 39th Christmas season - and his last.
"It's at least as much as last year, but the package volume is definitely up," Mr. Webb said. "We're a growing area."
In Mason, seasonal workers were called in to help deliver parcels and sort mail for the carriers, said Mason Postmaster Dan Hoyle. At the Parkdale Post Office in Forest Park, revenues - and customers - are up about 25 percent over normal.
"Because our building is so small, it doesn't take a lot for us to get busy," Postmaster Gary Brummett said.
There were few open parking spaces at the West Chester Post Office on Cincinnati-Dayton Road Friday afternoon.
Long lines of eager customers waiting to mail or receive holiday packages crowded the lobby area of the recently expanded post office. West Chester Postmaster Roger Baker said planning has helped employees service customers quickly and efficiently.
"Luckily we have a Christmas plan in place that helps us out a lot around this time," he said. "We try to hit the blue boxes more during the day. And we also try to make sure that we have extra transportation to pick up and deliver mail."
Middletown Postmaster Karen Hunter said carriers are averaging 4,000 packages per day.
"We aren't swamped, but we are busy," she said.
But postal employees are hunkering down for Monday, she said.
"Because we are closed on Sunday, everybody will be in the Christmas spirit to buy stamps on Monday and deliver them," she predicted. "People will be writing cards over weekend and we will see our biggest volume over the weekend. We will be busy all next week but especially on Monday."
Mr. Edgar, who has spent more than 30 Christmases at the post office, said automation has made the holidays a lot easier. "It used to be seven days a week, 12 hours a day," he said.
He said the public can make it easier on postal workers by mailing their cards and letters early - earlier in the month and earlier in the day.
Oh, and about those Santa letters. Mr. Edgar said some do get answered. Local families and postal employees adopt some of the children and families who send letters.
"Our marketing department looks through them and tries to find which ones are valid and who has valid needs," he said.
Kevin Aldridge, Phyllis Greene and David Eck contributed to this report.
