Did you know that February 4th is “Thank a Mail Carrier Day”? Today is the day you can say “thanks” to the man or woman who delivers your mail six days a week. Since 1775, when the Continental Congress established the Constitutional Post, they have been delivering the mail through all kinds of weather. Prior to this act, people delivered messages through their friends, merchants or a private messenger, but their confidential messages were often intercepted by British postal inspectors or not delivered at all.
Benjamin Franklin, the first Postmaster General of the U.S., established the rate chart we use today for distance and weight. Did you know…Before the invention of the stamp in 1847, the writer could pay the postage in advance or leave it for the recipient to pay upon delivery!
This year we have decided to be more purposeful with our children. We want them to know how hard people work and that we need to be mindful and thankful for them. So this year I wanted us to do something special for our wonderful mail carrier. Here are some great ideas on celebrating and thanking your mail carrier!!
* Let the kids write them handwritten notes or draw fun picture and leave them in your mail box.
* Leave them a gift card for a local restaurant or coffee shop to enjoy! Even if they don’t drink coffee, they might enjoy a hot beverage on those cold winter mornings!
* Put together a gift bag of snacks and treats they can carry in their truck.
* If you have a female mail carrier, put together a fun basket of pampering products. Buy the small sample sizes and you can make a very nice, simple basket.
* Their hands get cold during those winter months, so grab some of those hand warmers!! And they deliver on foot, add some foot warmers in there.
If you’re still looking for ideas, I also created some fun printables your kids can use to share how thankful we are for your mail carrier. Download them below!!
>>>DOWNLOAD THANK A MAIL CARRIER PACK<<<
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How will you thank your mail carrier this year? Share with us your ideas in the comments!!
1. All postal employees, including carriers, must comply with the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch. Under these federal regulations, carriers are permitted to accept a gift worth $20 or less from a customer per occasion, such as Christmas. However, cash and cash equivalents, such as checks or gift cards that can be exchanged for cash, must never be accepted in any amount. Furthermore, no employee may accept more than $50 worth of gifts from any one customer in any one calendar year period. They are under the aforementioned ethics rules and can be terminated for violating them – so don’t tempt them.
2. Anything, including notes, placed in the mail receptacle is considered U.S. Mail and requires postage. You can receive a postage due notice if postage is not applied – or a Postal Inspector knocking on your. With the way the USPS is bleeding money, everyone is a target for a postage due notice – or handcuffs – when people use the box for anything not having postage..
As a mail carrier I appreciate the occasional home baked cookie or thermos of ice cold water. We are allowed to accept these gifts. My goodness, no one is getting put in prison over a thank you note or cookie. Notes, if mail related, are allowed without a stamp. Giving me a notice to hold mail doesn’t require a stamp. Life isn’t black and white. I know my customers and often out of my own pocket cover postage dues or an extra stamp. My goodness, lighten up. Mail carriers are doing a service, not looking to rob people blind.
I don’t read anything in the original post that states anything beyond a few simple items. Lighten up!
Thank you for this great printable! Excited to give the card to our mail carrier and my little guy is so happy to be able to thank her in this simple way! She has been with us for years -from before I was pregnant with my now 3 year old!