RUSH: POST OFFICE GEARING UP FOR HOLIDAYS

It's that time of year, and the Cape Girardeau Post Office is ready to meet the holiday demand.

"We're already through the rush of early catalogs," said Postmaster Michael Keefe. "We've been busy delivering circulars concerning sales following Thanksgiving."

The mail traffic will resume Friday, said Keefe.

"This time, we'll be receiving Christmas gifts for mailing," he said. "We're anticipating a big day-after-Thanksgiving."

Then there may be a lull before the big storm, the final seven to 10 days before Christmas, when the heavy volume of cards and letters are put in the mail.

The local post office will extend its hours through the holidays.

"We'll extend window hours Dec. 14 and 21," said Keefe. "Those are the two Saturdays before Christmas. We normally close at noon, but these two days, the windows will be open until 3 p.m."

The big rush of holiday mail traffic will start about Dec. 16, said Keefe. The Monday and Tuesday -- Dec. 23 and 24 -- before Christmas will be busy, Keefe predicts.

"The full week before Christmas is usually the busiest of the year for the post office," said Keefe, adding that the mail traffic doubles in that time period.

Normally the Cape Girardeau Post Office delivers 125,000 pieces of mail daily. During the final week before Christmas, that total will pass the 200,000 mark.

That translates into 10 to 15 pieces of mail per household in the delivery area.

"We'll put on more people and they'll be logging some long hours during the final week,' said Keefe. Regular deliveries are planned through Christmas Eve.

Extra trucks will be on the road between St. Louis and Memphis to keep the mail moving.

"And we'll be delivering some mail on Christmas Day," said Keefe. "We deliver all express mail and priority gift packages."

Postal carriers will wear Santa Claus suits for their Christmas deliveries.

"With our system here, the mail flows pretty smoothly," said Keefe. "We're telling people to put their cards in the mail by Dec. 18 or 19 to assure deliver in the surrounding areas. If the cards are destined for New York or California, I'd suggest getting in the mail Dec. 16," said Keefe.

For gifts, the deadlines is a bit earlier.

Parcel post deliveries to either coast should be in the mail by Dec. 12. Priority mail gifts could reach coastal destination if it is sent by Dec. 16.

"We're suggesting a couple of things for faster delivery this year," said Keefe. "People should type the address on their envelopes," he said. "This makes it easier for the automatic processors."

And, people are being urged to send their cards in "lighter" envelops.

The processing machine has problems picking up the address on or dark-colored envelopes, especially dark reds and greens.