The United States Post Office often gets a bad rap, especially this time a year when the tracking goes from "waiting to be mailed, straight to delivered." I have no issues with the Post Office, but then I just might have a unique perspective in to the USPS as my Uncle Tommy was a letter carrier for over 30 years. It is amazing, even though he has been retired for 20 years, he can still tell you zip codes and addresses for most of the businesses in the town where he worked and lived. Yes, random trivia but he was a dedicated postal employee and proud to be.

I worked for a short time at the Fishkill Mail Coding Center around the time of 9/11. I learned so much and met so many great people. The question I still get asked to this day, always had something to do with did I get a discount on stamps? The answer is no. As, I mentioned, I might have a bit of a different perspective on it.

Why is the USPS asking for your help at the Holidays?

U.S. Post Service Handles Increased Delivery Load For Holiday Season
Getty Images/ Justin Sullivan
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The USPS needs Christmas/Holiday help, not just with letter carriers and sorters, but they also have a 'job' that you can do from your home. No, this job will not pay you in monies, or stamps, but it will pay you ten fold in feel-good-feelings. They are looking for people to join in on "Operation Santa." 

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What is Operation Santa with the USPS and how can you help?

Postmaster General Claims U.S. Postal Service May Run Out Of Money In '09
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Operation Santa is a program that the US Postal Service puts on every year. They get thousands of letters to Santa every year and knowing that the big guy can't respond to each and every one, the USPS recruits kind volunteers, like yourself to help make young ones Christmas Merry and Bright.

What do you need to do as an Operation Santa participant? Does it cost a lot?

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Here are the steps to make someone's holiday better from the USPS website:

  • Read Look through letters and adopt ones you love.
  • Shop Find the perfect gift, and keep it anonymous— it's from Santa, after all.
  • Wrap Pack your gifts in a box using our shipping guidelines.
  • Ship Bring the gift and postage to a participating Post Office™.

Not sure you can swing it by yourself? Ask a few friends to join in with you or even your co-workers. It is all about doing what you can comfortably afford to do. Happy Holidays, and Merry Christmas.

Here is a Upstate Food Edition of the 12 Days of Christmas, Grab your forks and a napkin, let's dig in!

Here is a new twist to that venerable holiday song, "The 12 Days of Christmas". The twelve days here each highlights a different food icon from Upstate New York. Although many of your food favorites made "the song," I do wish it was the 25 days of Christmas instead. Yes, we have that many food legends in our region. So, enjoy the "12 Days of Christmas (Upstate NY Food Edition) and remember, don't just read this post...sing it!

Here's a look at the towns that could be straight out of a Christmas Movie! 

If Hudson Valley Towns Were Christmas Movies

Poughkeepsie is Die Hard and Newburgh is The Grinch. It just makes sense right? What Christmas Movie would your hometown be?

Shhh Santa Won't Tell! 

12 Christmas Get-Away Ideas for Mom and Dad Only!

No kids allowed? We love them, but sometime the parents need some time for themselves. Take a look at some upstate New York date ideas, and enjoy some quality time with your spouse!

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