NOT TOO EARLY TO MAIL PACKAGES FOR DESTINATIONS IN OTHER COUNTRIES

It's not too early to think about mailing Christmas packages even though it's not even November. And the U.S. Postal Service says November isn't too early to send holiday packages with international addresses.

"From now on, it's never too early to mail packages overseas," Cape Girardeau postmaster Michael F. Keefe said. "We like to give foreign countries a lot of lead time to get Christmas packages to people in time for them to enjoy Christmas."

Keefe said the Postal Service doesn't control other countries' mail systems and "we don't know what they do with the mail once they receive it."

People sending packages by surface transportation, to certain international zip codes, should have them in the mail now, Keefe said, adding that even now, there is no guarantee packages sent to some parts of Africa or the Middle East will arrive by Christmas.

Packages destined for overseas via parcel airlift should be mailed by Nov. 24. There are some priority parcel airlift packages that can be mailed in early December.

The Postal Service also offers an "international express," which will get packages to many overseas addresses within three to five days.

That doesn't necessarily mean a package will reach its destination in five days, Keefe said, as it could be held up in customs or could encounter delays in another country's post office.

For postal employees in Cape Girardeau, the gearing up for heavy mail days is under way.

Last year, local postal workers processed 700,000 pieces of mail a day in mid-December. This included packages and cards.

"We handle as many as 500,000 pieces of mail every day now," Keefe said, "and it starts increasing as the holiday gets closer."

Post office customer relations manager Matthew Peters said, "The quicker the customer gets the mail to us, the quicker we can deliver it."

The local post office's volume of parcel post mail last year was up 50 percent from 1993 and came despite other companies specializing in mail services.

Both United Parcel and Federal Express urge early mailings, and both have three- to five-day service to most international addresses.