ARE you reading this alone? Are your children out of sight? Do you want them to know the truth behind Christmas?

Let’s start with the 250 staff based at Royal Mail’s Swindon delivery office, who embody Father Christmas and his nine reindeer.

Each and every year, Royal Mail handles millions of packages going in, out and across the United Kingdom throughout the Christmas and New Year period, transporting joy, hope and expectation with them.

In Swindon, the delivery office in Wheatstone Road serves SN1, SN2, SN3, SN6, SN25 and SN26; in other words, 60 per cent of the Swindon area.

And the workload doubles from the first week of December onwards.

The weather is cold, the hours are long, the parcels are many and the pressure is on to ensure your little boy receives his new games console, or your grandmother receives that authentic boomerang from Australia she’s always wanted.

The team in Swindon is led by delivery office manager James Parker, 39, who just two months ago began to commute from Northampton after being transferred within the business, adding the extra three hours to his working day. James is confident workers can manage the increased workload as the pressure rises before Thursday – Christmas Day.

“We’ve got the experience, we’ve got the network and infrastructure,” he said.

“The staff are, regardless of experience or age, absolutely dedicated to the cause.

“I’ve worked in different companies and I’ve never seen people who are so Christmassy.

“They all step up at this time of year.”

He said staff at the facility were all aware of the importance of the packages they were handling, with each one potentially containing a child’s – or adult’s – dream.

“Every parcel we handle at this time of the year, the thought runs through your head that’s someone’s present,” he said.

“Normally, it’s for kids and if you have young kids of your own you know how important that is. You know that you are bringing them their Christmas presents or birthday presents, or something else special.

“There will be names on the cards you take out to them and it lets you know you are making a difference at Christmas.”

During last December alone, across the entire business, Royal Mail handled 150m parcels.

As James sits across his desk from me, reeling off the endless digits and measurements of time and quantity his organisation must deal with, I hear the clatter of progress outside in the refurbished warehouse sheltering his posties.

These are skilled, organised and efficient individuals who know their Beatrice Streets from their Pleydell Roads, but time remains tight and those of you leaving it until the last minute risk your package not arriving in time.

Second class deliveries were guaranteed until December 18, first class until December 20 and special delivery until December 23.

But even if you miss those dates, you can be sure the men and women in red will do their level best to get it to its destination.

Lee Smith, 42, of Stratton, is one of the most experienced postmen in the town.

After 26 years on the beat, with his last four in Penhill, he is accustomed to the rising pressure levels as the big day draws near.

He says his most memorable Christmas with Royal Mail was his first, in October 1988, as a 16-year-old trundling around Wroughton on his bicycle, overwhelmed by the size and quantity of parcels he was expected to deliver.

But he says it was an eye-opener which set him up for his career.

It provided a penny-dropping moment which let him know he could not afford to let these priceless gifts slip by the final Chistmas Eve delivery date.

“There’s great satisfaction in delivering the parcels, especially when the kiddies’ face lights up as you hand them over,” he said.

Lee is also Penhill’s Christmas lights judge and revels in his role.

“I congratulate my customers on being the first one,” he said.

“I always keep my eye out for the first person.”

So not only do our postmen and women deliver packages and letters, they can also be the bearers of good news – especially at Christmas.