Among those benefiting from all those home deliveries is UK Mail, private rival to Royal Mail, which says volumes between October and December were up 20%, with revenues up 14%.

BBC: Shops 'til they drop

The UK post -- Royal Mail -- will be privatized this year.

CNN: Save the Postal Service from collapse

Royal Mail says the UK has more than 1.7 million postcodes, covering about 28 million addresses.

BBC: Modern postcodes are 50 years old

Royal Mail said the 110 golden boxes across the UK had become landmarks.

BBC: Gold Olympic post boxes to keep sheen

Royal Mail chief executive Moya Greene said the "turnaround of the UK business is well under way".

BBC: Royal Mail profits rise as parcels business grows

The latest move is part of Royal Mail's strategy to expand its parcels business in the UK and overseas.

BBC: Royal Mail to create 1,000 jobs at parcels business

Royal Mail has revealed that only two other post code areas in the the UK are worse than Swansea for meeting the target for delivering first class post by noon next day.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Wales | Welsh cities among worst for mail

Industry and the economy make up 12% of the New Year Honours list, with Priscilla Newell, Chair of the Royal Mail Pension Trustees, becoming a dame and Sherry Coutu, a long-time supporter of UK start-ups, a CBE for services to entrepreneurship.

BBC: Sir Alan Budd and Hector Sants on New Year Honours list