Hey Ya'll,
Given the great number of us that have been experiencing extended freezing temps of late, coupled with some cutting going back and forth, I thought the following would be helpful advice (skip to end for summary)...

I recently had cuttings arriving and the temps were around 0 deg. F.  I called the local Post Office to see if they would hold my package there and they said they would do it this one time as a favor but not on a regular basis.  Apparently it is against their policies to do this so they do it as a special courtesy on occasion only.  The Postal Worker said each Post is different; some will hold for pickup upon request and some will not.

They also said that holding all of the mail is not permitted for just a day or two, that service is reserved for when you're out of the area for a week or more.

I ended up taping a note on the front of my mailbox that read "Dear USPS, Please leave package inside garage door, contents will be damaged by extreme cold.  I will be very grateful." and signed my name.
I then left a similar sign on both the front and garage doors at my house.

I left the garage door unlocked.

The Delivery person went a step beyond and walked them inside the garage to the foot of the inner door.

I meant to leave them a Christmas gift in the mailbox, but forgot, so I'll leave them a Thankyou card and money now.  In the future I'll use this method when temps are below freezing.

My advice is to try to have the package held for pickup and if they won't do that then leave a note at the Mailbox to leave inside the garage.

Timothy

Timothy, 
Thanks for the info...very useful. Glad you have a considerate post person. Hope you don't mind me going a little off topic, but I have promised a few cuttings from my in-ground tree. It's supposed to get down to 8*F Monday, and I'm wondering if I should go ahead and take the cuttings now and wrap in saran for a few days until weather is better for shipping. Wanted to cut fresh, but worried about frost damage. Thoughts? Thanks.   (FYI: It's LSU Purple...it's weathered freeze before--8 y/o tree, but 8*F is colder than we've seen in recent years I think...could be a some die back.)

My first inclination is to say take the cuttings now.  Especially after reading about the ridiculous lengths of time others have kept them and got them to root using the saran wrap method.  However, I'm curious if others would agree?
Timothy

cut now
stick in fridge

Thanks! 

Timothy
You have the delivery risk covered but is there any chance that the post office will let the packages sit out in the cold overnight?

1- I have an idea. If you guys have a picnic cooler to leave near the mail box or by your doors, cooler temps cam be somewhat controlled , for example if you put a Microwaved wet towel in a plastic ziplock and push it to one corner of the inside the cooler, even under a small blanket. The cooler becomes a nice cosy warm little box until you take the cuttings after coming home.
This might be a solution to prevent freezing of the young cuttings waiting in cold mail box.

2- And what concerns to rooting the cuttings and when? I have been holding on the rooting for after January by keeping my precious cuttings (with both ends deept in paraffin) in zip-locks in the fridge. No rush to root them into a harsh winter weathers, wait for the welcoming Spring to root them.
I have all my newer cuttings waiting in the fridge lower drawer.

Good luck :)

When expecting a package on extreme cold days I use to leave a sign on the mailbox "Good day. Please, if there is a package, leave it betwen the storm door and the main door" which is close to our home mailbox. I guess some areas may not have an external storm door. It worked OK for smaller packages that allowed the storm door to close properly.