CHRISTMAS POSTING

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 135, 5 December 1933, Page 10

CHRISTMAS POSTING

TREND IN MAIL MATTER

GREETINGS BY WIRE

The approach of Christmas and the New Year "holidays always means a rush period for the officers of tho various divisions of the Post and Telegraph Department^ notably those in the postal and telegraph departments. Christmas is still about three weeks off, and as yet things are not buzzing in the mail room or tho telegraph, division. Indeed, so far, the "post early" slogan has not made its appearance, but though Christmas is three weeks away or thereabouts the postal people will have no objection to the early posting of gifts and other mail matter. Tho earlier it is done the better they will be pleased. In a talk with a "Post" representative today, an official of the postal division said he expected the mail room to begin to get busier within a week or so. His view was that if this weekend were wet some difference possibly would be noted, because he had found that in wet weather with nothing much to do people were inclined to get busy with their parcels. There was another factor, too. Friday, December 15, would be pay-day for many people, and there would be more money available for.the purchase of seasonable presents. In speaking of the modern trend of Christmas mail matter, the postal offi-| cer pointed out that when he was a' boy in the service a preponderance of cards conveying greetings was the order. Of more recent years, there had been a big swing to packages. Possibly, ho suggested, that was through the- changed financial circumstances of the people. There was a greater tendency or desire to purchase something that would be useful. For instance, sixpence would buy a handkerchief or some other article, equally useful, with the result that the number of small packets sent through the post at Christinas time had grown considerably.' GREETINGS BY WIRE. The say-it-by-telegram Christmas greeting has become more popular in recent years, and this year the Department has made a special effort in this direction. Brighter telegrams of a pictorial nature, their design and splash of colour providing something in keeping with the holiday period, will be available, and they will be forwarded in a suitable envelope. Hitherto tho Christmas and New Year greeting telegrams have been of quite a formal character and have arrived folded in the way an ordinary telegram is received. Moreover, instead of the stereotyped "A merry Christmas and a happy New Year," those wishing to send their greetings by wire will be able to select any one of eight distinct expressions of goodwill for the same price.