Postal Service Volume Drops; Slump Blamed : Christmas rush: On Monday, normally the busiest day of the year, workers in the county processed 7 million pieces of mail, down from 1990.

‘Tis the season to queue up at the post office, but authorities in Orange County said Tuesday that the lines were shorter and the volume of mail lighter than expected, with the number of Christmas cards and parcels falling slightly compared to last year.

“It’s the recession,” said Stacy DiRocco, spokeswoman for the Orange County postal division. “It’s everybody’s story these days. People are doing less shopping. They are not spending as much, so they are not mailing as much.”

On Monday, normally the Postal Service’s busiest day of the year, Orange County workers processed more than 7 million pieces of mail, but that total was 1% less than the same day last year, DiRocco said.

Many customers said they expected long lines and nasty attitudes at the post office this week but instead got efficiency and fast service, even though mail volume during the week before Christmas typically increases 10% nationwide.

Rosalyn Anderson of Irvine came prepared Tuesday afternoon. She brought her Reader’s Digest and stood outside the Sunflower Avenue postal office, where the windows were festively decorated with pictures of Santa Claus. With two dozen customers ahead of her, Anderson had about a 15-minute wait.

“They’re pretty organized here,” Anderson said. “I wanted to make sure my package went out today.”

The Postal Service attributes the relatively speedy service--a typical wait ranges between five and 20 minutes--to more manpower. Some stations increased the number of clerks manning the service windows. Others staggered lunch breaks to cope with the Christmas crowd.

“We were prepared for a heavy volume,” DiRocco said. “More people, more packages.”

At the Garden Grove office on Monday, seven clerks worked the six windows where, by midafternoon, more than 1,000 customers mailed Christmas cards, cakes and cookies to distant relatives and friends.

“We’re trying to keep our heads above water,” said clerk Dave Candlish. “As (mail) comes in, it gets shipped out. We keep putting it out, but we keep getting more.”

Other postal workers attributed the short lines to increasing use of priority mail, which guarantees delivery within two to three days nationwide. Many customers figure they can beat the usual Christmas rush by waiting until later in the week to mail their packages via priority mail, authorities said.

“More people are using priority mail,” said Andy Saldana, window supervisor at the main processing center on Sunflower Avenue in Santa Ana. “They are waiting later because they still have enough time to get their packages delivered.

“See that area,” Saldana said, pointing to a stack of packages in the cramped office. “That’s all priority mail.”

Despite efforts of postal workers to shorten the wait, many customers chafed at the delays.

“It’s awful,” said Margie Kessler of Costa Mesa. “I really didn’t expect to wait more than 10 minutes, but it’s been at least a half-hour.”

Others sat or stood patiently, chatting with other customers.

“Fifteen minutes isn’t that long,” said Trina Potter, a Costa Mesa resident. “I just wished they had a separate stamp line.”

Tips for Holiday Mailing

The U.S. Postal Service offers these suggestions:

CARDS OR LETTERS

* Include apartment and suite numbers and directional terms (east, west, north, south).

* Use the correct ZIP code. It belongs on the same line as city and state.

* Include a return address.

* If possible, print address labels with a personal computer. (Computer-generated addresses can be read by high-speed automated equipment, which moves the mail more efficiently.)

PACKAGES

* Use a container strong enough to bear the weight of the contents, with enough space for cushioning material. (No shirt boxes.)

* Use good cushioning materials: foam plastics, corrugated cardboard or loose fills such as polystyrene or crumpled newspaper.

* When wrapping, always use reinforced filament mailing tape, not string.

* Packages must not exceed 70 pounds. They must be at least 3 1/2 inches wide, 5 inches long. Total length and girth cannot exceed 108 inches.

* Place the address on one side only, in the lower right portion.

* Include your return address inside and outside of the package.

* Don’t overinsure. The Postal Service pays claims based on the actual value of lost or damaged items and not at a higher insured amount.

BEST TIMES

* Go during off-times such as midmorning and midafternoon. Post offices tend to be busiest early in the morning, at lunch and just before closing.

Source: U.S. Postal Service

Compiled by Times researcher Tracy Thomas