NATCHEZ — With the Christmas rush upon Miss-Lou post offices, Natchez Postmaster Charles Merritt says it is best to ship mail as early as possible.

Last-minute mailings make it difficult for carriers to get packages to their destination by the holidays, Merritt said.

“You don’t want it to get there after Christmas,” Merritt said. “You really want it to get there by Christmas.”

Typically, the Monday one week before Christmas is one of the busiest days for post offices across the country, and this year was no exception, Merritt said.

On Monday, Merritt estimates that the number of packages at the Natchez Post Office tripled the usual amount.

Christine Irvin, postmaster at the Washington Post Office, said her office was also steady with Christmas parcels Monday.

“Everything is wonderful,” she said. “I am caged in with packages.”

When asked how the number of packages compared that day with previous Christmas seasons she said, “I don’t even have time to count (them.)”

Risha Jenkins, officer in charge at the Vidalia, La., Post Office, said her office had a busy Monday but the employees were handling it well.

“I think the clerks are staying steady with it,” she said.

Merritt recommends for people who still have packages to send to ship either priority or express mail as Christmas gets closer.

This insures them the best chance of having the mail delivered by Christmas, Merritt said.

“Again, the only thing I would tell the public is encourage them to mail early,” he said.