Christkindl Post Office

The charming little village "Christkindl" near Steyr in Upper Austria has got something very unusual, i.e. its name, which means Infant Jesus; according to Austrian tradition, "Christkindl" brings Christmas presents to children. For over fifty years now, Österreichische Post AG has its special "Christkindl" Post Office. Emergence And Success Of An Idea The name of the place, Christkindl (Infant Jesus), and the fact that, according to Austrian tradition, Infant Jesus brings Christmas presents to children, led Austrian Posts to create a special post office open just during the period preceding and around Christmas. All items sent from this post office are postmarked with a commemorative Christmas cancellation mark. 42 000 items were postmarked in 1950, when this post office first opened, although its services were then reserved to domestic letter post items. The unexpected success of the Christkindl Post Office suggested continuing this experience. Since 1950 this very small post office treated the incredible volume of over 70 million items. The number of items cancelled by Christkindl Post Officehas been steadily increasing: half a million in 1955, more than a million ten years later, more than 1.5 million in 1970/71, and during the last decade it amounted regularly to more than two million, half of them posted abroad. Since 1951, the special Christkindl Post Office accepted international items, making Austrian Christmas greetings a postal speciality appreciated world wide. Special Cancellation Since 1965, Christkindl Post Office makes use of special cancellation marks. The Christmas special cancellation bearing the date will show the name "Christkindl", its post code "4411. Christmas Stamps Although special cancellation showed a new Christmas motive every year, there was an ever increasing demand for Austrian post to issue a special Christmas postage stamp. The first issue in 1958 was followed five years later by the yearly Christmas stamp and from 1967 on first day of validity of Christmas postage stamp always has been the day of opening of the Christkindl Post Office. Since 1950 this very small post office treated the incredible volume of over 70 million items. The number of items cancelled by Christkindl Post Officehas been steadily increasing: half a million in 1955, more than a million ten years later, more than 1.5 million in 1970/71, and during the last decade it amounted regularly to more than two million, half of them posted abroad. Children Write to "Christkindl" Hundreds of children knowing the Austrian tradition write to "Christkindl" for presents, and as post serves everybody, as is well known, each and every letter written by a child will be answered at Christkindl! Visitors to Christkindl More than 100 000 visitors come to this lovely place every year.  Read More Source: post.at

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