I did not remember ordering anything so flat. Was it an autographed picture? A contract of sorts? A letter too important for folding?

Like anyone without known enemies, I love unexpected mail. So I was thrilled when the above package greeted me on Friday.* Larger and less malleable than bills, magazines and junk mail, it sat beneath our mailbox like a present on Christmas morning.

I tore right in. And just like that, my excitement level cratered. After the wild success of our “count my change” contest, I’m tempted to ask you to guess what was inside. But after one person guesses correctly, the fun will be gone. And I’m not entirely sure fun was there to begin with.

It was stamps! The least exciting thing I’ve ever opened. You’re looking at the most inefficient possible way to mail postage. I know the Post Office is proud of the Forever Stamp, but does it really deserve this much cardboard?

This rant on packaging excess is admittedly light on trivia. For more substance, check out Ransom’s post on Russian stamps, Miss Cellania’s exploration of really overdue mail, or the Wikipedia entry on actual postal errors.

*I pieced the parcel back together for this photo. I’m not in the habit of photographing the mail.