Scores of Americans woke up Christmas Day to find their presents were late not because of Santa Clause, but because UPS could not keep up with the huge amount of deliveries.
UPS said Wednesday it could not deliver the packages on time due to a higher than anticipated influx of Christmas orders. UPS said severe weather also contributed to delays, Reuters reported.
"For now, UPS is really focused on delivering the remaining packages," UPS spokeswoman Natalie Black said in a Christmas Day statement, Reuters reported. "You might not see trucks, but people are working."
UPS predicted they would deliver 132 million packages. "Obviously we exceeded that," said Black. She did not reveal the actual number of packages delivered, Reuters reported.
Angry customers shared their disappointment the company's Facebook page.
"Beyond angry," Susan Danielle Harrison wrote, NBC News reported. "We have not left the house all day & have been nervously pacing. This was supposed to be my son's big gift. Never showed up, thanks for nothing."
"UPS deserves all the bad press they get and more," Josh Pederson posted, "The company knew they wouldn't be able to make all the deliveries on time, but still kept taking money for a service they knew they couldn't provide."
Other customers said on Facebook they doubted the delays were weather related.
"I don't think this is a weather issue as UPS stated," Donna Meshaka wrote. "If it was weather related, even in part, why didn't Fedex have any issues? All my missing packages are with UPS."
Donny Ratcliffe, who said he is a UPS driver, defended UPS workers on the Facebook page:
"While others take vacation and time off in December, remember we aren't allowed ever to be off in December. Ever," NBC News reported.
"So when you see your family and complain that your package is held up, everyone who moves your package is working and doesn't get the Xmas experience you get. Be thankful for that," Ratcliffe wrote.
