Post Officious?

I am now quite curious to know what George Byron (Letters, 18 December) was posting that he couldn’t tell the assistant what the package contained when she asked, as required.

I don’t think he would have needed to be terribly specific, in that he could have said “clothing” rather than “navy blue long johns size XL” or whatever it was. Or written it on a piece of paper if he didn’t want the rest of the queue to hear.

The Post Office staff must be fed up enough at this time of year with queues of sometimes grumpy customers who all think their parcel is the most important thing. The assistant was only asking what she has been told to ask. What happened to Christmas goodwill?

Anne Hamilton

Drumnadrochit

Inverness-shire

Each Christmas for more than 30 years I have been sending to a Swiss friend two miniature 
bottles of malt whisky.

He, being fond of Scotch whisky, has been very glad to receive these. When I went to the Post Office this year with my small package for Switzerland, I was asked about the contents (as is now the routine), and my package was not accepted for transmission by Royal Mail. I was told that the rules had recently changed and that there is now a specific ban on alcohol. So it seems that a 30-year Christmas tradition (albeit a private one) will die. And I, for one, can see no good reason for it.

Alan Hamilton

Gordon Crescent

Bridge of Allan