Mail worker shares how to properly address a Christmas card — it's an eye-opener for younger generations

'Tis the season for hot chocolate, family bonding, and sending out Christmas cards. However, a TikTok video is reminding people to double-check how they address envelopes to ensure their cards arrive safely. Kit Sargent (@kitsargent) shared a helpful PSA on the platform, saying, "If this is your first Christmas sending out postcards or Christmas cards, make sure that the correct way to address an envelope is the stamp goes in the top right-hand corner," they said at the beginning of the video.

Sargent then broke down the steps for organizing return and destination addresses. "Your address, your return address and the address that you are sending the card from are in the top left-hand corner, Meanwhile, the address that you want to send the card to goes in the middle," Sargent said. "City, state, zip code each get their own line. Line one, their name, line two, their address, line three, their city [and] state, line four, their zip code," they added. 

Sargent emphasized a key detail, saying, "Unless you want every single card that you sent out coming back to you, make sure that their address is in the middle, your address is in the top left-hand corner and the stamp goes in the top right." People in the comment section were taken aback upon learning that the zip code had to have its own line. "Wait WAIT. The zip code is its own line?! We were taught that it goes after the state," wrote @kristina8898. "Everyone’s more upset about the zip getting its own line than the fact that this announcement needs to be made in the first place," added @danielle1985_03. Others argued that the zip code shouldn't be placed on a separate line. "I’m pretty sure you’re wrong about the zip code. I even just checked the USPS website and it says to put it on the same line as the city and state," claimed @angelica.manea. "Hi! A teacher here: zip code does not get its own line. You scared me that I was teaching my students wrong so I looked it up on the USPS website. Zip code is one with the city, state line," added @hay_howed. 

USPS plays a vital role during the holiday season, bringing joy to many. Every year, hundreds of thousands of letters to Santa arrive at post offices across the country, and through Operation Santa, USPS allows the public to safely adopt these letters and make children’s dreams come true. Last year, Emmy Award-winning director Dana Nachman made a documentary about this operation. "Dear Santa" chronicles the journey of such letters to Santa, adopted by selfless "elves" who restore our faith in Christmas miracles. "We had the absolute best time filming all of these stories. It was a real privilege to get a look into the lives of such a diverse group of kids and even some adults and learn about them through their own words in their letters," said director Nachman.

You can follow Kit Sargent (@kitsargent) for more USPS content on TikTok.