We are all anxiously awaiting our holiday package deliveries but, to quote Douglas Adams:
If your shipper sent a tracking number, you have as much information about the status and location of your package as the sender. If you don’t think you got a tracking number, remember to check your spam folder in case it got shuffled off to the email DMZ. Then, contact the sender and ask them to send (or re-send) your tracking information.
As a seller, I have customers who have been waiting 10+ days to receive their package and, as a recipient, I have waited 18+ days for a package. You are not alone and, by now, most of the world will understand if their gift is late. Just take a screen grab of the item, print it out and tuck it in an envelope. If you want to really play it up, put the photo in an appropriately sized box and wrap it and stick it under the tree.
There’s a link below with more detailed information from the USPS and an article from the Washington Post about some of the reasons they see that has caused the delays and bottlenecks. I hope you have a panic-free holiday.
Pens:
- A Beginner’s Guide to Fountain Pens (via An Unexpected Letter)
- Merry Christmas to Me! Esterbrook Estie “Rocky Top”! (via The Gentleman Stationer)
- Review: A Box of Serenity (via Rants of The Archer)
- Esterbrook Estie Honeycomb (via An Unexpected Letter)
- Esterbrook Estie Review (via Fountain Pen Ink Art)
Ink:
- More trouble brewing: TMKR Petrichor (via kaerouka)
- Standard Bindery Stargaze (via Mountain of Ink)
- Diamine Peacock Flare (via Mountain of Ink)
- Scribo Grigio Fountain Pen Ink Review (via The Pen Addict)
- How To Make Your Fountain Pen Inks Look Their Best (via Fountain Pen Love)
- Diamine Monboddo’s Hat Ink Review (via Writing at Large)
- Tono & Lims Lady Grey (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist)
Notebooks & Paper:
- 12 Bullet journal annual planning page layout ideas (via All About Planners)
- Diary Inserts for 2021 (via Philofaxy)
- 7 Tips for storing planner supplies (pens, highlighters, washi tape, stickers, planners etc.) (via All About Planners)
- Dividers, dashboards and page markers – by Anita (via Philofaxy)
- Tomoe River Notebooks to try in 2021 (via Rediscover Analog)
- The year in notebooks (via Austin Kleon)
- Best Planners to Help You Get Organized for the New Year (via My Modern Met)
- Video-Review: Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter (A5) (via Scrively)
- Review: Pebble Stationery Co. Traveler’s Tomoe River Notebook (via Rediscover Analog)
Art & Creativity:
- Four Watercolour Tips (via Writing at Large)
- Tono & Lims Mebuki (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist)
- Rosemary Brushes interview and my current brushes (via Liz Steel)
- Soderbergh on making collages (via Austin Kleon)
Other Interesting Things:
- A great conjunction (via Austin Kleon)
- Blob Opera (via Google Arts & Culture)
- Ilford to release a reusable 35mm film camera, the Sprite 35-II in early 2021 (via Rediscover Analog)
- Service Alerts (via USPS Newsroom)
- Millions of Christmas presents may arrive late because of Postal Service delays (via Washington Post)
We all need each other. Please support our sponsors and affiliates. They help keep this blog going. Without them, we would not have products to review or a server to house our content. Your patronage of their shops, services and products will let them know you appreciate their support of the pen community. Without them, and without you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you!
I’m planning to place an order from your shop, but since I’m buying for myself and not for Christmas I decided to hold off until after the holiday rush subsides. I don’t want to stress out either you or the USPS!
And this post seems as good a place as any to say how much I appreciate your consistently excellent posts and reviews. I’m looking forward to another year of wonderful reading in 2021.
Thanks so much for reading the blog and I am sure the postal service appreciates a small respite from the barrage of parcels.