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When Grandma Outsmarts the Post Office: A Christmas C.O.D. Showdown

Vintage Christmas shopping scene depicting a woman using a Sears catalog for C.O.D. orders.
A nostalgic photorealistic illustration capturing the charm of holiday shopping from the Sears catalog, just like my grandmother did nearly 50 years ago. This image reflects the joy and anticipation of ordering gifts through C.O.D. during the festive season.

Every family has a legendary story about that one relative who could outwit anyone with a smile. For Redditor u/michmill1970, their grandmother was that hero—a sweet lady with a backbone of steel and a knack for turning bureaucracy on its head. When a small-town post office tried to bury her Christmas spirit in red tape, she didn’t just push back—she gave them a taste of their own medicine, wrapped in holiday cheer and a dash of petty revenge.

This is the story of how one grandmother taught the post office—and all of us—a lesson in standing your ground, outsmarting the system, and never letting anyone ruin Christmas for your grandkids.

Christmas Shopping, 1970s Style: The Sears Wish Book & C.O.D. Woes

Picture this: It’s the early 1970s. There’s no Amazon, no overnight shipping—just the magical Sears catalog. For countless American families, flipping through those glossy pages was the highlight of the holiday season. And for our heroine, grandma, it was her secret weapon for keeping her grandkids’ stockings stuffed to the brim.

Every year, well before Thanksgiving, she’d place her order and choose the popular C.O.D. (Cash or Check on Delivery) option. It was a simple system: Order early, pay the mail carrier when the goods arrive, and bask in the holiday glow. Except, one year, the magic went missing—literally. Nothing arrived by Thanksgiving, and Christmas was looking bleak.

Bureaucratic Brick Walls and the Power of Petty Revenge

Determined not to let her family down, Grandma started making phone calls. Sears said the packages had shipped promptly. The post office? Well, they handed her a bureaucratic brick wall:

“Our policy is we have 30 days to deliver the packages. If the packages don't arrive after 30 days, notify us in writing. Once we get your written notification we'll start looking for them. If we don't find them after 30 days, we'll issue payment to Sears for the lost packages. You can then reorder replacements.”

Translation: Sorry, kids, Christmas is canceled—rules are rules.

But Grandma didn’t raise any quitters (and she certainly wasn’t one herself). Instead, she ordered new presents for everyone—slightly different, just in case the originals showed up later. And, like clockwork, the new packages arrived in two weeks. She paid the mail carrier by check, as usual, and Christmas was saved.

The Check That Disappeared Into the Bureaucratic Void

Just when it seemed the story was over, a new twist arrived—this time, hand-delivered. The mail carrier sheepishly knocked on her door. The check Grandma had given for the C.O.D. was missing somewhere in the labyrinthine corridors of the post office. Could she please write a new one?

Time to cue Grandma’s masterclass in polite, ironclad revenge.

She marched down to the post office and calmly explained to the postmaster that, yes, she was aware the check was lost. But since they had a record of her payment, she’d be following their policy—word for word:

“MY policy is you have 30 days to find the check. If after 30 days you can't find the check, please notify me in writing. Upon receipt of your notification, I then have 30 days to issue you a new check.”

Touché, Grandma. The post office’s own red tape, now neatly wrapped around their ankles.

Lessons in Standing Your Ground—With a Smile

The check was never cashed, Sears marked the account paid-in-full, and Grandma’s grandkids got their presents on time. She didn’t yell, threaten, or throw a fit. She simply played by the book—using the post office’s own rules to call their bluff.

This story isn’t just a feel-good tale about holiday spirit (though it’s definitely that). It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best way to deal with bureaucracy is to mirror it—calmly, confidently, and with a touch of wit. And, of course, to never underestimate the power of a determined grandmother.

What’s Your Petty Revenge Story?

Have you ever used “the system” to outsmart someone? Or do you have a family legend of your own about a relative who refused to be pushed around? Share your stories in the comments—because sometimes, a little bit of petty revenge is the sweetest gift of all.

Happy holidays, and may your packages always arrive on time!


Original Reddit Post: C.O.D. and lost check