For several generations people have added a different touch to their Christmas cards and letters with special postal cancellations based on Santa Claus, Ind. (47579), or maybe North Pole, Alaska (99705).

Now, starting today,

two nearby community post offices will be adding special cancellations to holiday cards and letters.

One of these post offices is in Hope (56046), a Steele County community located between Ellendale and Owatonna, and just to the west of Exit 32 on I-35. The cancellation theme for this post office is, &uot;Hope Peace and Joy Station.&uot;

The second post office is Frost (56033), a Faribault County community located between Bricelyn and Blue Earth and four miles south of Exit 128 on I-90. The cancellation theme for this post office is, &uot;Frosty the Snowman Station.&uot;

&uot;We are the only two in the state of Minnesota to do this. We feel very honored, &uot; was the comment of Lori Thiele, the Hope postmaster.

Both post offices will offer this special pictorial cancellation during the month of December.

On Monday, Dec. 2, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. the postmasters at Hope and Frost personally hand cancelled all letters, cards or packages with this special stamp.

For those unable to attend, letters or cards can be sent to or brought to the Hope or Frost post offices. The items will be hand canceled and placed in the mail to be sent to the addressees.

For those philatelists (collectors of postage stamps, postmarks and special cancellations) who would like the new Hope and/or Frost seasonal

cancellations for their own collections or personal use, send a first-class stamped envelope with an enclosed stamped self-addressed return envelope.

The last day to receive this special cancellation is Jan. 2, 2003.

The address for items to be sent to Hope of the Hope Peace and Joy Station cancellation is: Postmaster, P.O. Box 9998, Hope, MN 56046-9998

The address for items to be sent to Frost for the Frosty the Snowman Station cancellation is: Postmaster,P.O. Box 9998,Frost MN 56033-9998