BY HATTIE FRANCIS/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
hattiefrancis@gmail.com

FRANKLIN—Local postal workers probably felt more like Santa’s elves on Monday as they scurried to keep up with what’s traditionally the busiest day of the year — the Monday before Christmas.

More than 800 million cards, letters and packages were expected to be mailed nationwide, according to news reports. That’s a 40 percent increase over normal daily activity.

At the North Main Street post office in Franklin, Stephen Jarvis was among customers — some of whom found themselves waiting in line to mail packages and cards.

“I’m actually getting stamps to mail them,” Jarvis said as he left the post office.

William Britt mailed two large stacks of letters.

“One goes to Carolina, and others are around in Franklin,” Britt said.

Prince Morton addressed two wrapped packages while waiting in line.

“I’m sending them to my grandson and granddaughter, and that’s to South Boston,” Morton said.

Franklin Postmaster Terri Brooks said the regular staff was working Monday.

“Today will be busy,” Brooks said. “Saturday was really busy. People who were off came in and mailed their packages on Saturday from 10 to 12.”

Brooks predicted Monday’s surge would peak around 2 p.m.

“A lot of them are the Priority parcels,” she said.

Tuesday was the deadline to ship packages so they will arrive for Christmas since Priority shipping takes two to three days.

“Probably from now until Christmas everything is going to be Priority,” Capron Postmaster Ginger Smith said Monday. “Seems like today has been our busiest for letters — our letters are overflowing.”

In Courtland, Postmaster Jennifer Banty said many people had been through the doors.

“I’ve got a line out of the door right now actually,” said Banty, who was too busy to talk.