BETHLEHEM, Pa. — More than 5,000 pieces of mail have left the Wood Street office of the U.S. Postal Service this holiday season with Christmas City postmarks.
The postmark, which shows the star of Bethlehem and the three wise men, is a popular postage stamp cancellation mark that has become a holiday-mail staple for local residents and even visitors.
But on Thursday, a number of people on the Friends of Bethlehem PA Facebook page said they weren’t able to mail from the Wood Street post office using the special postmark.
And during a visit to the post office just before closing Thursday, one office employee told LehighValleyNews.com the postmarks were all put away due to “lack of manpower” this week.
The employee said the public “soon” may be able to mail with them again.
But mail officials say there’s no cause for concern.
'Inaccurate information'
Bethlehem Postmaster Tiffany Vazquez said in an emailed statement that, “We did not stop the seal and we will not."
In a phone call to the office Friday afternoon, a postal employee said the postage cancellations are available and a clerk would be on hand to stamp.
Paul Smith, strategic communications spokesman with the U.S. Postal Service, said the Bethlehem postmark is “still going strong.”
So what was the problem?
“Unfortunately, inaccurate information was conveyed, but rest assured it will be available,” Smith said in an emailed statement Thursday evening.
The unique Bethlehem postmark goes back more than 85 years. It was created in 1937 as part of Bethlehem's push to be known as Christmas City USA, according to a 2012 lehighvalleylive.com article — a designation that still stands today.
The Wood Street post office is open 7:30 a.m to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays; and closed on Sundays.
Local holiday mailing deadlines include Dec. 18 for Ground Advantage, Dec. 19 for Priority Mail and Dec. 21 for Priority Express, Smith said.
All post office locations will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Regular post office hours and mail delivery will resume on the Thursday after each holiday.
