Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

You know where the Christmas season is the most obvious? The post office!

In the past few weeks, I've had the occasion to visit three different post offices, in the course of my personal errands, only to find long lines at each one. I've become accustomed to using the automated "self-service" machines for packages and other quick needs. In fact, I'm so used to them that when I walked into a smaller, older post office today and found that they didn't have one, I debated whether I should just walk back out and find a better post office.

There were only five people waiting, so I decided to stick it out in line, even though I only wanted holiday stamps. All of the people in front of me bore packages of varying sizes and decor. Some were Christmas wrapped; others were old boxes from amazon.com with marker scribbled over all the old bar codes and shipping labels. One man was with his pre-teen son, who was clearly bored and unable to stand in line for more than a few minutes. He darted around looking at the demonstration models of boxes and envelopes, then perused the stamps on display in glass cases.

Finally, the man was called to the next teller, and I saw why the son was there. Over in a corner was a five-foot high mound of brown-paper wrapped boxes; between the two of them making a couple of trips each, they got it all over to the counter. The teller weighed and stamped each one before handing the man a receipt that could have rivaled Santa's "nice and naughty list" for length.

Just as I was next up in line, the available teller hollered out over what had become a large crowd, "Anyone buying just stamps?"

"Yeah, me!" I yelled back, making everyone in line laugh, since I was next up anyway. It only took a few minutes to pick out and purchase my holiday-themed stamps, and then I was headed out, past about fourteen people with their arms loaded with boxes. They stretched around the line dividers and out the door into the lobby of the building, and in the parking lot more cars were pulling in.

Ahh, the Christmas season.