I’ve been going to UPS at least five times a week over the last few weeks to ship soap out that people have ordered for holiday gifts.

Each time I go, I’m amazed by what people ship, how they ship, and the decisions they make.

This commercial shows some of what happens BEFORE people show up at the UPS Store…

The vast majority of people arriving at UPS to ship have wrapped their items in colorful wrapping paper.

They arrive at the UPS Store ready for the clerks to box their items,  add filler to protect the contents,  and create mailing addresses for them by reading addresses off of their smart phones.

Here’s what happened during yesterday’s US visit…

Customer #1 was sending cookies and cat toys to two different people. Or maybe it was cat cookie toys.

How do I know what she was sending?

Easy. Each customer is asked what they are sending.

After Customer #1 stated “cookies and cat toys”,  she hastily added,  “But please make sure that THEY don’t know what I’m sending them!”

Customer #2 was also sending packages, but each was to contain different items.

One was going to Colorado and would contain a letter and a ring enclosed in a small velvet pouch. The ring was valued at “Five K”.

The other was to contain a vehicle title and a letter. It was going to California.

Customer #2 spent more money sending the two pieces of paper to California within two days than he did to send the $5,000 ring to Colorado in three days. He didn’t purchase insurance on the ring delivery,  but he did finally consent to have its delivery restricted so that the driver had to get a signature because the clerk said he’d be crazy not to.

Customer #3 spent $75 to send “swimmies” and coloring books to her grandchildren who were going on a trip in a few days.  (I wasn’t sure was swimmies were until she mentioned the number of pools on the cruise ship.)

Although I have been fascinated watching all this while standing in line,  I don’t think I could work at UPS because I’d have too much curiosity and want to ask,  “Why?”

And at this time of year, the store clerks are way too busy to have time for chit chat…