Tag Archives: united states

A History of the Parcel: Day 2

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Our history week continues today with specific focus on the 1960’s. We take a look at some of the groundbreaking events that occurred during this particular decade and highlight the significant changes that came in to effect worldwide.

1961 saw Cameroon issue it’s first stamps as an independent country, whilst the UK trust territory of Cameroon had issued its own stamps just a year before. Many other countries including Bhutan, Burundi, Kenya, Abu Dhabi, Ajman and the Independent Republic of Malta all had stamps introduced for the first time in the 60’s.

1963 welcomed the introduction of the ZIP code in the US, something that became essential for mail delivery and you will certainly need a ZIP code if you wish to send a parcel to the United States in the modern era as well.

In 1966, the United States decided to put an end to its postal saving system. Two years later they also introduced priority mail, which was a form of mail that became an integral part of the United States first class mail service.

If you need to send a parcel internationally, you should consider the excellent services that RAND Logistics can offer. Be sure to check back in the mean time for tomorrow’s instalment regarding the history of the parcel.

Famous Birthdays on 14th November

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We have reached the penultimate day of our week of posts celebrating famous birthdays around the world in dedication to the thousands of birthday gifts sent internationally every day. Remember to get a quote from RAND the next time you want to send a birthday present to friends and relatives overseas for the best rates and top quality service.

If you enjoy American music, 14th November is a bumper day for US rockers and rappers. Rapper Obie Trice and punk rockers Travis Barker (of Blink-182 fame) and Tobin Esperance (of Papa Roach) will be celebrating birthdays, though if you prefer your music from the 90s in the UK, you may be pleased to hear that Steps singer Faye Tozer is turning 38 today.

Culture vultures will appreciate sharing a birthday with French impressionist painter Claude Monet, who was born in 1840, along with the spookily similarly named Julie Manet, another French painter. Or, if you prefer your famous faces a little more politically orientated, Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State for the US, will be celebrating her 61st birthday today.

Remember to get all of your November birthday gifts bought, wrapped and sent soon, especially if they will be travelling overseas!

Thanksgiving Day

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It might seem a little early to be thinking about Thanksgiving Day, but the most organised among us will want to take advantage of the benefits of sending a parcel early. The day is traditionally celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the US, and this year falls on 28th November.

Thanksgiving generally marks the start of the American holiday season, and many families decide to put up their Christmas decorations around Thanksgiving. The day is most famous for its family feasts, which often resemble the traditional British Christmas dinner, with a turkey and all the trimmings and abundant displays of desserts, including pumpkin pie.

The day is all about showing thanks for all that you have and the people in your life, along with a religious element, and was started by Abraham Lincoln in 1863.

Many of the major cities hold parades, and these will involve spectacular displays of marching bands, music, dancing and floats. This gives families a chance to reunite in a family-friendly activity and get together with the other members of their community to join in with the festivities.

There are also special sports games to celebrate Thanksgiving, including American football games on Thanksgiving (the Thanksgiving Classic), and televised games from sports such as ice hockey, golf and auto racing around Thanksgiving.

If you have friends or relatives in the US, why not send them a Thanksgiving gift with RAND?

5 Unusual Things the USPS Can and Can’t Send

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The second day of our week dedicated to the US is all about the stranger things people have tried – and sometimes failed – to send to or within the US. If you know any of your own, please let us know in the comments!

  1. A man building a house in Alaska tried to send his materials brick by brick through the postal system, finding this the cheapest way to transport everything. This prompted the USPS to outlaw the sending of construction materials.
  2. Several civilians have attempted to post themselves in the US mail, but to date nobody has been successful.
  3. You may or may not be familiar with the black and white custom FedEx planes. Did you know that these planes have transported many pandas between zoos in China and America?
  4. If you’re going to send any poisonous creatures through the US mail, it can only be live scorpions for research purposes only. Be sure to label the box to let the post handlers know what they’re dealing with.
  5. FedEx and UPS will ship human body parts for medical purposes.

If you’re sending something a little more normal than these items, check our quote finder now to discover how much it will cost to send your parcel to America.

5 Interesting USPS Facts

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We’re starting off a rather chilly Monday morning with some fun facts about the thing we know best – packages. We’re going to be focusing on the US postal system today, looking at all the weird and wonderful things package-related.

  1. Did you know… that the US Postal Service parcel delivery Chevrolet Long Life Vehicles have a right-hand drive as opposed to the usual left-hand drive in the US? This helps the delivery drivers, who don’t need to leave their seats to deliver mail.
  2. Did you know… that in Loma Linda, California, mail is delivered on Sundays, but not on Saturdays? This is because there is a large population of Seventh-Day Adventists who observe the Sabbath day on Saturday rather than Sunday.
  3. Did you know… that the American equivalent of the postcode, the ZIP code, was implemented in 1963 in order to help postmen find the right address? The numerical value of the zip code increases from the East coast (starting in New York) to the West coast (ending in Alaska).
  4. Did you know… that the most remote US Post Office is the Anaktuvuk Pass Post Office in northern Alaska? Everything has to be flown in and out, meaning the residents could be waiting for some time for their packages.
  5. Did you know… that after Walmart, the USPS is the largest employer in the country with more than 650,000 employees?

To send a parcel to the US, use our parcel quote finder today.