Monday, December 22, 2025
USPS employees are stepping into the spotlight this holiday season
The organization is marking milestone deliveries and showcasing new equipment
The Postal Service is once again spotlighting its milestone holiday season deliveries in communities across the nation.
On Dec. 4, the organization delivered its 3 billionth piece of holiday mail — a package local letter carrier Dan Reed dropped off at a boutique in DeWitt, NY.
“It’s fun to be out giving people their packages,” Reed told a local TV station that covered the delivery. “They’re looking forward to you coming.”
Five days later, USPS made its 4.5 billionth delivery when Santa Claus, IN, Postmaster Joshua Graham took a package to a store that sells Christmas décor.
“We have a great relationship with the Post Office, especially here in Santa Claus,” said Heather Osborne, the store manager. “We both understand the importance of the season for this community.”
The Postal Service began marking milestone deliveries during the 2023 holiday season.
The holidays are the busiest time of year for the organization, as employees across the nation work to accept, process and deliver billions of cards, letters and packages.
This year, USPS prepared for the holidays by installing more package sorting machines in processing facilities, updating service standards to better deliver mail and packages within a given region, rolling out new delivery vehicles and making other improvements.
In addition to marking the milestones, the Postal Service is inviting the news media to tour its processing facilities and see its new equipment up close.
For example, at the North Texas Processing and Distribution Center in Coppell, TX, the organization is showcasing its new package induction linear sorter, which dramatically increases package processing capacity.
During last year’s holiday season, the Coppell plant processed 60 million packages — a number expected to rise to roughly 88 million packages this year.
“The population is growing. The leaders of the organization felt it was worth the investment in order to give the DFW Metro more firepower to handle this peak season,” Joshua Dean, the plant manager, told a local ABC station this month.
Meanwhile, at the New Jersey Network Distribution Center in Jersey City, employees showcased the Matrix Regional Sorter, a new machine that can process 1.5 million packages a day.
“I tell everyone: Treat every package as if it’s your own,” De’Jayla Watson, the plant’s acting manager, told a local CBS station last week. “Treat every package as if it’s something you ordered for a loved one at Christmastime.”
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Heroes
He comforted a customer who had fallen
This employee ensured the injured man received emergency medical care
While delivering mail in Marlborough, MA, recently, Letter Carrier Chad Wiggin encountered an older customer who had fallen onto the concrete walkway in front of his home.
The man had tripped over his cat and lost his balance.
Not wanting to risk further injury by moving the customer, Wiggin went inside the man’s apartment to get pillows to make him more comfortable. He then called 911 and the man’s family members.
The Postal Service employee remained with the customer until paramedics arrived and took him to a nearby hospital.
The customer had broken his hip and will require surgery and rehabilitation.
“I was basically doing what anyone else would do,” Wiggin said. “The best part of my job is taking care of my customers.”
Employees featured in “Heroes” receive letters of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program. The nomination form is available on Blue.
Week in Review
Here’s what Link covered Dec. 14-20
Holiday stories and upcoming stamp releases made news
Link got in the holiday spirit last week: We told you about retailer Nordstrom reviving its print gift catalog; looked back at Albert Goldman, the midcentury New York City postmaster who helped grow USPS Operation Santa; and spotlighted a military care package initiative in “People.”
We also highlighted a holiday edition of the “Mailin’ It” podcast, reminded readers that employees can accept books and other informational materials as gifts under certain conditions, and told you about an adjusted refund policy for Priority Mail Express that will run from Dec. 22-25.
Additionally, we underscored the peak-season importance of safeguarding the mailstream from hazardous materials and of drivers using preferred network suppliers to fuel up.
Looking toward next year, Link also reported on a new effort by the Postal Service to capitalize on its unparalleled last-mile delivery network.
Finally, “Heroes” told a story of compassion in action when Chad Wiggin, a Marlborough, MA, letter carrier, assisted an older customer who had fallen on concrete by retrieving pillows for cushioning, calling 911, and comforting the man until paramedics arrived.
“I was basically doing what anyone else would do,” Wiggin said. “The best part of my job is taking care of my customers.”
Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column.
Blog post focuses on holiday season
The latest entry on Postal Posts, the USPS blog, looks at the organization’s long history of delivering holiday mail and packages.
Sheila Holman, the Postal Service’s marketing vice president, wrote the post.
‘Mail with Mr. ZIP’ holiday special now on YouTube
In the latest episode of “Mail with Mr. ZIP” — an animated YouTube series for children — the Postal Service character delivers the last batch of letters addressed to Santa Claus in time for Christmas.
During the one-hour holiday special, Mr. ZIP turns his LLV into a sleigh and relies on Christmas cheer to fly to get the letters to the North Pole.
The series debuted in February and has been renewed for a second season. It is produced by Moonbug Entertainment using characters licensed from USPS.
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USPS employees are stepping into the spotlight this holiday season
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Heroes
He comforted a customer who had fallen
This employee ensured the injured man received emergency medical care
-
Week in Review
Here’s what Link covered Dec. 14-20
Holiday stories and upcoming stamp releases made news
-
Brief
Blog post focuses on holiday season
-
Brief
‘Mail with Mr. ZIP’ holiday special now on YouTube