No Stamps Heightens Frustration on Busiest Mailing Day of the Year

Today is the busiest mail day of the year. Why? Because it is the last day you can safely send Christmas cards, presents and the like out and be sure that they will reach there destination on time.

Every year millions of Americans wait until the last minute -- I mean the very last minute to send everything out. Gone are the days of sending Christmas Cards out the day after Thanksgiving. I mean, who has time? We have Black Friday shopping to do, and chances are if you have children, you ordered photo cards from Snapfish, Shutterfly, Wal-Mart, or Walgreens anyway. These over-priced, yet adorable, picture cards take a while to make it to your house.

I know I personally tried to get all my mail out last Monday, then I realized, I had no stamps. This was a problem since I have a house full of little ones and didn't want to lug them to wait in a line at the post office. I figured I would just go on-line and order stamps.

I went to Stamps.com, but got frustrated because I was in a mad rush and didn't have time to figure it out, plus what was I going to print these adorable picture stamps on? Regular paper and then just tape them to the envelope? To much hassle.

I went to USPS.com. It's the post office, for goodness sakes. I figured I would order some stamps, and they would send them from my local post office, next day type thing, no biggie. So I went on the site and there were so many lovely choices! I picked out the holiday knit stamps, I don't knit, but I crochet occasionally (okay once every few years) so I figured they were appropriate. I ordered two books of 20 and found that there was a shipping and handling fee. they charge a dollar to deliver stamps to your door. I mean it's not like the mailman is going out of his way to do this, but whatever. I am so sick of getting nickeled and dimed, but I figured they would be there the next day a dollar is a small price to pay for convenience.

So Tuesday came, no stamps. Okay it was just one day, maybe they forgot or I didn't get my order in on time. I was hopeful. then Wednesday came, then Thursday and nothing. I mean really how long does it take to get a book of stamps from the post office to my house. I am frustrated beyond believe at this point and just about give up.

Friday comes around, and lo and behold, a Christmas miracle. The stamps arrive. Granted, I had already sent my husband to the post office to send out the Christmas cards because I wanted to avoid getting them out late, but, hey, now I have 40 Holiday Knit Stamps to send out my cards next year. Of course, by then, the post office will surely raise the price of stamps again so I will be back where I started.