National Postal Workers Day
Rain, shine, wind or snow, they’re out there delivering our important mail and making sure we get our packages. Thank your postal worker for their hard work.
Before the internet and email. Before the television or the telephone. Even before the telegraph system was developed and able to be used in a reliable manner, there was the post office.
History of National Postal Workers Day
United States Postal Workers can trace their history all the way back to the year before the country actually gained independence. It was in 1775, during the Second Continental Congress, that Ben Franklin was appointed to be the first Postmaster General, a position that was similar to one he had also held for the Kingdom of Great Britain.
The official Post Office Department wasn’t created until almost two decades later, in 1792, when the Postal Service Act was passed. Of course, the postal service has changed and grown along with the country, and it has had its ups and downs in service, but it remains an important part of the government that many people continue to rely on today.
National Postal Workers Day was founded in 1997 by then-USPS employee, Richard E. Baker, who wanted to shine a spotlight on the crucial role postal workers serve in delivering mail to millions of Americans each day. What Baker may not have realized is that this day would become more and more important as fewer and fewer people would begin relying less on the post office as alternative forms of electronic communication would become commonplace!
It is true that postal workers do not always get the thanks they deserve. And sometimes they are even the butt of certain jokes when people want to poke fun or are dissatisfied with their service. But those who have a postal worker in their life who delivers their mail regularly and in a timely manner should certainly take this opportunity, on National Postal Workers Day, to give a hearty round of thanks!
How to Celebrate National Postal Workers Day
Show some thanks and appreciation to these important government employees by celebrating National Postal Workers Day. Implement some of these ideas to get started with the festivities:
Write a Thank You Card
When the postal worker comes to pick up the mail, slip a little personalized thank you note right into the box, or hand it to them personally if possible. It might even be nice to bake them a little treat or provide them with some other kind of small show of appreciation for the hard work they do and help they provide.
Those who happen to be dropping off or picking up a package at the post office during this week, especially folks who do so on a regular basis, might also want to give an extra thank you to the staff at the post office!
Learn Fun Facts About the Post Office
One way to celebrate National Postal Workers Day might be to learn (and share!) a few bits of trivia to raise awareness for the day. Begin the fun with some of these interesting pieces of information:
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While sometimes linked together, the Pony Express only functioned from 1860–1861 and was never part of the US Postal Service.
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The first post office in the colonies was started in 1639 and it was located in a tavern.
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In the early years of the US, the postal service was the only way to send money, which motivated people to steal the mail.
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The postal act of 1792 imposed the harshest of penalties on mail thieves – up to death for a second offender.
