Scandal of Christmas gifts stuck in the post

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.walletpop.co.uk/2011/01/17/s ... he-post%2F" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We knew Christmas delivery was going to be bad this year, but never in our worst estimations did we think they were going to be THIS bad.

This Christmas didn't bring us the ideal conditions for postal delivery. Massive amounts of mail, and equally massive amounts of snow left many parts of the country struggling. A large number of online retailers halted their delivery promises, and suspended deliveries altogether, while the rest of us popped things in the post and crossed our fingers. The shocker is that so many of these parcels still haven't been delivered.

Undelivered mail

It's now getting on for a month since many of these parcels were posted, and many cards and parcels have either been trickling in over the last few days, or are still sitting in delivery offices around the country.

It is estimated that millions of cards and presents are sitting in the system, as the Daily Mail recorded complaints from around the country, including Warwickshire, Norfolk, Berkshire, Cheshire, and North-East Scotland.

The situation has foxed many people, who can't understand why things that were posted much more recently are getting through, while Christmas post remains stranded. The answer may have something to do with the hidden rule the Royal Mail has of suspending its delivery promises over the Christmas period. It just admits it can't cope with the flood of post, and that it's going to take first class post longer the reach its destination. Things posted after Christmas, however, have to stick to schedule or it will damage the company's official targets. It means older post may simply be neglected while posties concentrate on the new stuff.

I actually received a Christmas card today, posted well before Christmas, and sporting several muddy footprints. I can only assume it has been carefully looked after by the Royal Mail during its weeks stuck in the system, and it fills me with every confidence when popping things into the post in future.

Royal Mail denies the problem
The Royal Mail, interestingly, is denying it has a serious problem, and although it confirmed a bit of a backlog in Scotland, it says everything is running smoothly elsewhere.

It told the Daily Mail: "The nation's Christmas mailbag has been delivered, the overwhelming majority of it by Christmas Eve. There was a huge effort by our postmen and women despite the worst December weather in living memory. We recruited 23,000 additional temporary staff. We have had some reports of individual items of Christmas mail arriving after Christmas but we are confident these are isolated examples. In that small number of places where there has been some disruption, we have already taken ­measures to deal with the issue."

So what's going on? Are thousands of people using this as an excellent excuse to 'forget' to send presents, or to buy them in the Boxing Day sales and claim they are stuck in the post, or are we not getting the full picture from the official claims? What do you think? Are you still waiting for presents or cards, and who do you blame? Let us know in the comments.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Thanks go to richbriggs69 for posting the link in another thread.

[kingofmcr]

should this be in the latest news section ...because its getting to be an old turkey of a story now ..featured every day for thr last few weeks