Found the postman kneeling at my front door this afternoon at 16:10 having posted several items through our letterbox.

On asking if I could help, he showed me one of the ubiquitous Red Forms titled Something for You (a P739 no less) which he was completing to then post through the letterbox. I made it obvious I was here and he could deliver any parcel(s) to me direct.

He then said ah - there's two mate - and they're not here - we got a big batch in from Basingstoke and we could not bring them round. I asked what size they were and if any were of the Guaranteed Delivery type (I was expecting at least one small sized one) and got the reply that he didn't know - he had not seen them. This did not prevent him from ticking the "it's too large" in the reasons section.

Asking about a re-delivery I was told that it may be some days before they would be "scheduled for re-delivery" and it would be "better" if collected them from the depot.

This practice is a repeat one of old - no attempt to make the delivery of packages in the first place and then the explicit threat printed on the card that if the package(s) are not picked up in time (a period of only one week for some types of mail), they will be returned to sender.

I can make the trip to the depot easily to pick up the packages that had not get anywhere close to my home never mind had been delivered - but I have several older neighbours to whom such an exercise would be a trial.

Yes - I will be at the depot to pick my packages tomorrow and to have a word with someone in charge.

So - Christmas and the Christmas post is with us once more - oh how I laughed and wondered if I will ever see any mail ever again.