orangecounty

Juanita Elisabeth Smith Tucker (1907-2008) was Postmaster at Christmas FL from 1932 to 1974 (42 years). www.qualityapps.com/contents/communityguide/florida/Chris... She wrote a book, "Perpetual Christmas," presumably about her experiences at this unusual post office: www.amazon.com/Perpetual-Christmas-Juanita-S-Tucker/dp/B0... She was mentioned in LIFE magazine in December 1949 for her postal work: books.google.com/books?id=VkEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA50&lp... And in TIME Magazine in November 1949: www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,934269,00.html In 2006, she was still alive, age 99, and mentioned in this article (along with her son, Cecil Tucker II): articles.orlandosentinel.com/2006-12-02/news/XMASTOWN_1_f... She passed away in 2008, age 101. Here's her obituary: articles.orlandosentinel.com/2008-05-21/business/bizdead2... And here's her grave: www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=41491034

pennylrichardsca (now at ipernity) Wow! Thanks for sharing the great information on Juanita Tucker!

Here's a tad more on this Postmistress: (I was away reading and typing while Penny was posting ;)

Mrs. Juanita S. Tucker was postmistress in the tiny hamlet of Christmas, Florida, for 42 years from 1932 until her retirement on December 31, 1974. She was a daughter-in-law of the former Postmasters, Drew and Lizzie Tucker. Juanita, who was an artist and a poet, created a design of a lighted Christmas tree that would be stamped on mail sent from her post office.

Each year thousands of letters came for postmarking and she lovingly stamped each with the small green Christmas tree cachet and the legend "Glory to God in the Highest." But then, in 1949 (after 15 years) the Post Office Department informed her coldly that as a postal employee, she was not allowed by regulations to place "personal or unofficial endorsements" upon mail. Mrs. Tucker was crestfallen.

The resulting brouhaha created national attention and Senator Spessard L. Holland (D-FL) interceded with US Postmaster Jesse M. Donaldson to allow Mrs. Tucker to continue the use of the rubber stamp.


"Special Cache for Juanita Tucker's last Christmas as Postmaster, 1974"
(Collection of Juanita Tucker)

In 1969, and again in 1995, the US Postal Service honored Christmas, Florida as the site of the First Day Issue of the Christmas stamp for that year. 1969 featured the 6¢ Christmas Winter Sunday (Scott 1384), and in 1995 the 32¢ Midnight Angel (Scott 3012).


"First Day Issue from Christmas, Florida, 1995"
(Collection of Joan Templeton)

When a new, modern post office was built in Christmas, the town's historic post office was preserved as a gift shop.

Juanita Tucker died in 2008 at the age of 101. There are several more photographs of her in the collection of the State Library and Archives of Florida.


— TIME Magazine, 1949; Google Books; Orlando Sentinel

Fantastic

nice shot

Appeared in The Free Lance Star, 19 December 1947: news.google.com/newspapers?id=u9RNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oooDA... With this caption: "Four-year-old Marion Stockton drove 35 miles from Orlando, Fla., to mail her letter to Santa Claus at this famous post office in Christmas, Florida. She is personally dropping her letter into Santa's bag between sucks on a lollypop. She confided that she's asking for a broom. Thousands of packages, letters, and cards pour into Christmas at this time every year, from all over the nation."

Amazing that a four-year-old drove 35 miles! But then, those were the "good-ole-days" ;) This is a wonderful back-story!

Pixel Wrangler I was thinking that too--picturing her pedaling one of those little toy cars, all the way from Orlando... And how sweet that she's asking for a broom?

pennylrichardsca (now at ipernity) Great back story. Thanks again!

beautiful

nice pic

festival photo gives message of perfect association and remembering the tradition and culture