Having our grandkids all around the country makes our travel fun as we drive the Journey to see them, which enables us to stay and visit for weeks at a time. A luxury that we couldn't do before we retired.
On the other hand, it makes attending birthdays and special holidays not always convenient to travel to see them, unfortunately we can't be in three places at the same time.
So to get gifts to them, we have to ship or mail them, always in plenty of time to get there.
We don't use UPS because they are way too expensive, FedEx will get our business on occasion if the package will be extra large or heavy, still kind of pricey.
So we use the USPS Priority Mail to send the vast majority of our gifts. With too often disturbing results.
A few years back we mailed some packages three weeks before Christmas to Oregon from Virginia. They arrived three weeks after Christmas.
Last year our son sent our other son's kids a Christmas package via the mail and it arrived on time. With the box crushed. And empty.
This year we sent a bunch of packages via Priority Mail, with several going to our grandkids in Missouri mailed the same day from where we are in South Carolina. One package was a birthday gift for one of the girls who was born the day after Christmas, we always ensure that her birthday gifts are distinguished from her Christmas gifts.
A nice thing the Post Office does is give you a tracking number for each package. You'd think paying top dollar for Priority Mail would ensure your package would arrive in the two to three days the Post Office touts.
Our granddaughter's birthday package, mailed twelve days before her birthday would get there in plenty of time. Well, it didn't.
Looking at the tracking number, the package languished in several Post Offices, including one which left it sitting for seven days. The good news is at least the package arrived two days after the granddaughter's birthday intact and it made her happy. Funny, all the other packages mailed the same day (all of the same size and weight) got there right on time.
It's not the end of the world, it's sort of minor. We just didn't enjoy seeing our granddaughter disappointed on her special day.
I think next year we'll talk to Santa and see if we can put our packages on his sleigh to deliver. After all, if he can deliver packages all over the world in one night, he must be a better shipper than the Postal Service!
Thanks for visiting and feel free to leave a comment.
Better to simply order through Amazon and have the gift shipped direct to the recipient. No charge for shipping, in most cases!
ReplyDeletewww.travelwithkevinandruth.com
True, and we have done some of that, have to love their gift wrapping service.
DeleteSome things, however, need to be purchased locally, Marti embroiders monograms on some clothing and she hand makes other gifts.
We haven't found the USPO to be significantly cheaper than UPS or Fed X and they are much less reliable than they were when they were government run. IMO! Glad your things got there.
ReplyDeleteUPS charges by the size of the box. USPS charges by the weight. My box at UPS would have been 39$ but the same box was 17$ at post office. And it got there on time so we lucked out this year.
ReplyDeleteBut, do each of your kids have a big enough chimney??
ReplyDeleteThe problem with USPS tracking is the post offices don't always scan. I have had very few problems with FedEx and we send lots of things back and forth. Scans are always done and we know right where the package is.
ReplyDeleteAmazon sells little package trackers that we've thought about purchasing. It'd be great for packages and for luggage.
We always order through Amazon and have it shipped directly to them. We pay for gift wrapping but it's still cheaper than postage.
ReplyDeleteWell, we are still waiting for a gift to be delivered by Amazon. It still says it will be delivered Dec 23rd?!?!????
ReplyDeleteWe see all our grands sometime in the summer, and leave their Christmas gifts with the parents to pull out on the required day.
ReplyDeleteAfter shipping issues the first few years.
With all the online ordering and shipping that people do, I'm sure it's all the carriers can do to get things shipped at all let alone on time. When we see all the commercials touting 2 day shipping we have to laugh :)
ReplyDeleteWe're Amazon Prime members from the beginning and have yet to see a failure of their free 2 day shipping. USPS on the other hand is as you said, not very consistent.
ReplyDeleteSort of matches us though. We'll be finally sending out our grandkid's Christmas today - should be there in 2 days.
Yup-Amazon is the way go:)
ReplyDelete