by 
Dear Editor:
With the holidays just around the corner, here’s what you can expect at the Post Office this holiday season: On October 11, 2012, the United States Postal Service will issue the trasitional holiday stamp. This year, The Holy Family stamp celebrates Christmas with a scene from the Nativity story. The stunning image, created by artist Nancy Stahl, shows Joseph leading a donkey that carries Mary and Jesus, guided by a star shining in the twilight of a desert sky. The Holy Family stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp, which is always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce rate.
On October 11, 2012, four new Santa and Sleigh postage stamps will be issued, also as Forever stamps. Santa’s annual journey is captured in this block of four holiday stamps, with two rows of two stamps each presenting a “classic” image of Santa and his reindeer circling around snow-covered rooftops. The new holiday stamps will be available at Post Offices, online at usps.com/shop, or by calling 1-800-STAMP-24 (1-800-782-6724) .
Shopping holiday packages is a snap using Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes. Ship anything that fits inside a flat-rate box to any U. S. address for one low price: $5.35 for the small box, $11.35 for the medium boxes, and $15.45 for the large box. Customers receive a $2 military discount when using the large flat-rate box to ship to an Army Post Office or Fleet Post Office address. Customers who pay for their postage online at usps.com enjoy free Delivery Confirmation, a 75-cent value, and Free Package Pickup. And you’ll pay significantly less than you would at the Post Office, including on average 6.8 percent off Priority Mail. Even bigger savings are possible with Express Mail.
Looking to add something unique and fun to your holiday greetings this year? Turn your favorite photo into a postage stamp, a greeting card or both, at usps.com. Upload your own images or use a preloaded image to create your own postage stamps or cards. Go to usps.com/createmail to get started.
We look forward to seeing you on this holiday season, whether it’s online, on the phone, or at the Post Office. Thank you for your business.
/s/Lori Shewey, Postmaster
To comment on this article and others visit the Copper Area News Facebook or send us an email at CBNSun@MinerSunBasin.com
by by