The line at the Nevada Street Post Office was 25 deep as customers waited to send Christmas packages on the busiest mailing day of the year Monday.

The U.S. Postal Service estimated Monday’s volume would reach 830 million pieces of mail, an increase of more than 40 percent over the daily average, according to a press release.

Near the end of the line, Auburn resident Greg King was undaunted by the crowd as he waited to send three boxes of holiday goodies.

“I chose today because my girlfriend just got (the shopping) done,” he said. “But I was late, too.”

King said his Christmas purchases were about the same amount as other years.

“But this is the first year I’m mailing these,” he said.

Behind him, Auburn resident Henri Wiesne said the wait wasn’t all that bad.

“I’m from the Bay Area and this is a shorter line than we had there,” she said.

The recession has had an impact on her Christmas shopping this year.

“We’re doing about the same for this person, but overall we’re doing less,” she said.

Only three customers were waiting to use the automated postal center.

For Auburn resident Diane Wilson, who was carrying an envelope to send, the do-it-yourself method is the only way to go.

“This is the greatest,” she said.

At Postal Annex in south Auburn, Jerod and Allison Keck were doing all their Christmas mailing, including boxes to Italy. After everything was weighed and customs forms completed, the final bill was nearly $200.

But this year’s tab, despite initial sticker shock, wasn’t all that much more than previous years, they said.

“Overseas mailing is very expensive,” the couple explained.

The Kecks have scaled back somewhat this year because of the economy.

“We buy lighter and (are careful) size-wise to save money,” Allison Keck said.

Postal Annex owner Danelle Stumbo said business has been a little slower this holiday season and customers, in general, are mailing smaller packages.

“Volume has picked up the past week,” Stumbo said.

In addition to the dozens of packages ready for shipping, there were a number of shopping bags and even some wrapped Christmas gifts to be boxed. Stumbo said she gets a variety items to box, including some unusual ones.

“Someone is shipping a trunk lid to an old classic car,” she said, pointing out a tall rectangular box in a corner. “It’s a Christmas gift. It’s a part for her husband.”

Across town at Mail-N-More in the Bel Air Shopping Center, owner Jan McPherson had more than 100 boxes stacked and ready to be shipped Monday.

“We’re down moderately,” she said. “Today is very busy. Today and tomorrow are the last days to ship to the East Coast without paying a premium.”

McPherson, who is planning a celebration of 20 Christmases in business on Dec. 21, has also wrapped and shipped some unusual items. She keeps an album of some of those unique requests, which have included a large bookcase and a Bentwood rocking chair.

“You have to do creative packaging — putting boxes together,” she said.

One of the most unusual items she’s seen was a big piece of driftwood — a birthday gift for a friend — with an old license plate, steer skull and other keepsake items hanging from it.

The Journal’s Gloria Young can be reached at gloriay@goldcountrymedia.com.