Massed ranks of posties playing Santa

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1881122007

As the days left until Christmas drop away one by one, the hunt for perfect presents begins in earnest. It's a time that can fill even those most festive-spirited of us with just a slight sense of dread, but spare a thought for Edinburgh's post office workers.

A staggering 37 million cards are expected to be sent across East Lothian over the Christmas period. Many of these will be collected from one of the region's 1254 postboxes, to be delivered by a specially reinforced fleet of 366 vehicles and more than 74 bicycles.

It is a massive and carefully-organised campaign, but although the scale of the operation may seem overwhelming, it is nothing new for the Royal Mail, which, every year, mobilises all of its forces and then some, to ensure that nobody is left disappointed on Christmas morning.

But advances in technology mean that the operation runs more smoothly these days than in Christmases past. An extra 500 temporary postal workers will be taken on in the region to help the permanent staff of 2700, and although it is no small number, it pales in comparison to the 3500 seasonal workers that were recruited back in December 1967. Students for the most part, they were charged with helping to deliver 11 million Christmas cards to homes across the city. And while these 'casuals' braved the capital's icy winds, tightly wrapped up in their woollens, and with only the prospect of an apple or orange as a festive tip to keep their spirits up, the regular posties stuck to the warmer but perhaps not altogether enviable task of sorting through the mountains of festive mail.

An arguably more pleasant task was given to the employees who can be seen in the photograph answering the innumerable letters written to Father Christmas by Edinburgh children.

If advances in technology mean that the task is less painstaking than it once was, there are some things about the tradition of the Christmas Post which have remained the same. One of these is the commemorative stamps issued by the Royal Mail to celebrate festivities

Introduced for the first time just one year previously, in 1966, the 1967 special edition, threepenny, one shilling, and sixpence Christmas stamps featured depictions of the Adoration of the Shepherds, causing a hoard of enthusiastic stamp collectors to queue outside the philatelic bureau at the old GPO, now the Waverley Gate offices, when they were issued on November 27.

This year, the Royal Mail has issued a series of six stamps, designed by the artist Marco Ventura, each depicting an angel in the style of an Italian Renaissance fresco.

Cautionary reminders of the consequences of late posting have also become a tradition of the Christmas Post. While posters plastered on old post office vans advised the public to "Post Early For Christmas" back in 1967, the Royal Mail today makes use of technology by publishing details of posting deadlines on its website, alongside information on its other Christmas services and details on how to apply for a seasonal vacancy. Those wanting to send Christmas parcels to loved ones abroad have until Friday December 7 to get them in the post, while those sending first class letters and Christmas cards have until December 17. It is better to post sooner rather than later, however, says Ian McKay, Director of Scottish Affairs for the Royal Mail Group.

"This is the busiest time of year for Royal Mail in Edinburgh and Lothians area, and all our postmen and women, as well as the extra seasonal staff we have taken on, will be working flat out to deliver a First Class Christmas to everyone in the area. We need our customers to make sure all the cards and parcels are delivered before Christmas by posting early so as to beat the last posting dates."

This article: http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1881122007

Last updated: 01-Dec-07 12:28 GMT

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