THE BOSTON GUARDIAN December 4, 2020 Vol. 5 Issue 15 Mail Delivery Is About to Spike By Justin Roshak One holiday tradition remains unchanged this year. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is recommending that citizens mail their cards and ship their packages as early as possible. It is also urging citizens to mail as much as they can from home. For delivery by Christmas, First Class cards, letters, and packages should be mailed by December Dan Mullin Was 18 at the latest, and Priority mail by December 19. Only Priority Mail Express items can be expected Mister “Smiles” to arrive by December 24 if mailed the day before. Mail volume is expected to spike beginning By Trea Lavery his way, he would try to make a December 7, with the week of December 14 to 21 joke of it or say were blessed with predicted to be the busiest for mailing, shipping, One of the things people friends and good health, so he and deliveries, according to the USPS website. mention most when discussing wouldn’t let it consume him.” Nevertheless, Postal Service representatives are Dan Mullin is his smile. Mullin, a well-known real projecting confidence in their timetable. “He had a sense of humor estate broker and Beacon Hill “As far as anticipating shipping delays, we’re second to none,” said Suzanne resident, died at home at 78 on not, at this point,” said Steve Doherty, Corporate Ianella, a longtime friend and Thanksgiving Day after a six-year Communications Specialist for the USPS’s coworker of Mullin. “He loved fight against melanoma. Northeast Area. to laugh. When things didn’t go Continued on Page 2 Continued on Page 2 Let There Be Light! Photo credit: Downtown BID Arts Being Showcased In Downtown Windows By Trea Lavery Downtown Crossing can still experience their holiday magic Photo credit: Susan Cole Kelly Classic holiday shows like just by strolling past some of At least the darkest year in modern Thursday by Mayor Marty Walsh. The Mall lights The Nutcracker and A Christmas the neighborhood’s previously history can end with a little light as the were the inspiration of philanthropist Ted Cutler Carol may have been cancelled empty storefronts. Commonwealth Avenue Mall, the Public Garden 11 years ago. They are funded by about 200 local this year, but visitors to Continued on Page 2 and the Boston Common were illuminated on residents. THE BOSTON GUARDIAN 2 | December 4, 2020 Mail Delivery steadily” for both permanent and attributed to an increase in online front of the building throughout boxes, print labels, and ship Continued from Page 1 temporary positions, Doherty said. shopping. He anticipates a further the holiday season. packages all from their own homes. By mid December he expects flurry of cards and letters, as people In addition to the usual tips Package thieves, so called “porch that “we’ll put on a couple of extra seek out tangible personal connec- about maintaining a clear path to pirates”, will be a particularly “This is our season. It’s not like hundred thousand employees” in tions in the darkest, loneliest part the door and keeping dogs inside, pernicious problem this year, we haven’t done this before,” he the Northeast alone. Hiring will of a dark and lonely year. 2020 brings additional safety Doherty said. He advised residents added, though he acknowledged continue well into the holiday Some accommodations are recommendations. to be as watchful as possible toward that, “This year’s definitely not season. This year, the annual already being rolled out. Sunday The Post Office is encouraging scheduled deliveries. typical. It’s expected to be a record holiday rush looks more like delivery began November 29 in residents to mail from home as Doherty added a final note of season.” business as usual. high volume locations. Other much as possible. It expects that wisdom, timeless words that have Consequently, the USPS is “We’ve seen an upswing in steps are more creative. Allston’s a record 500,000 people will been passed down and ignored gearing up for the holiday rush. packages since the pandemic Post Office closed last year, but a use Click N Ship, which allows from generation to genera- “We’ve been hiring pretty began,” Doherty said, a trend he mobile Post truck will deploy in customers to order Priority Mail tion,“shop early.” Boston and what a great contribution that the castle.” Nearby at 467 Washington Street, Huntington Theatre Company has installed Downtown Windows they make.” Commonwealth Shakespeare is presenting a a fantastical New Years’ Eve-themed piece at Continued from Page 1 Cambridge-based theatre group Revels 35-minute video projection of an abridged 481 Washington Street has designed an installation that highlights performance of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas The Downtown Crossing decorating As part of its Downtown Holiday the medieval props and costumes normally Carol. Steve Maler, artistic director for the also includes 25 decorated Christmas trees, Magic program, the Downtown Business used for their holiday production, Christmas company, said that passerby can stay for five and Santa Claus will be in the window of Improvement District (BID) has introduced Revels, located at 395 Washington St. The minutes or the whole production. Primark on weekends through December holiday-themed installations by several design includes dragons, lords and ladies and “We wanted to do something that was 20 to speak to children on a microphone, theatre and arts organizations in the windows a flickering fireplace. more narrative and featuring as close to observing social distancing guidelines. of Washington Street and Arch Street. “When I was a kid, you would go live performances as we can get right now,” Sansone said that the reception to the “Right now, all of the workers are downtown and you would see the Maler said. holiday windows has been very positive. either furloughed or not able to work,” Jordan Marsh and Filene’s windows, “Part of our mission is all about free “We haven’t even completed the installa- said Rosemarie Sansone, president and and it was the same scene year after year,” and accessible programming. For us, the tion process, and people are taking photos of CEO of the BID, of the members of these said Heidi Hermiller, costume designer for ability to safely share this great work of the work being done,” she said. organizations. Revels. art with people in this crazy time was sort “It’s a wonderful activity, because it’s all “This is an opportunity to do what “I wanted people to be able to see the of the obvious solution.” Boston Ballet has outdoors, and we’re encouraging people to they do best; to put on a production for richness of the costumes up close because designed a window at 101 Arch Street which be outdoors. The whole downtown area, the public to view and to remind the public usually we’re at the distance of the stage. I highlights some of the props and set pieces including Downtown Crossing, will really of how important theatre is to the city of wanted it to be like we’re inviting you into from its annual Nutcracker production, and be a place for people to visit this year.” THE BOSTON GUARDIAN THE BOSTON GUARDIAN IS PUBLISHED ON FRIDAYS. ©2020 GUARD DOG MEDIA, INC. Dan Mullin and generous people,” said Harry Collings, PRESIDENT another longtime friend of Mullin’s, who ROBERT WHITCOMB Continued from Page 1 worked with him to fundraise for AIDS EDITOR/PUBLISHER REPORTERS CONTRIBUTORS Action during the 1980s AIDS crisis. “He DAVID JACOBS MANNIE LEWIS TREA LAVERY was always helpful with a stranger and made ASSOCIATE EDITOR IAN STEVENSON JUSTIN ROSHAK Mullin worked for 25 years as a real estate him feel like he was special. I’ve never been AMY SOKOLOW GEN TRACY agent before opening his own company, friends with anybody that was so caring and P.O. BOX 171558, BOSTON, MA 02117 TELEPHONE: (857) 265-3022 FAX: (857) 990-3128 Dan Mullin Real Estate, which sells luxury had such a wide variety of friends.” EmaIL: [email protected] LIKE US ON FACEBOOK@thebostonguardian FOLLOW US ON TWITTER@bostonguardian residential properties in Back Bay, the South Those friends are far-reaching, as The reproduction in whole or part, of any information contained herein and prior is forbidden with- End, Beacon Hill, the Waterfront, and the evidenced by a recent Zoom call for Mullin’s out the express written permission of the publisher. Ladder District. Ianella, who met Mullin birthday on October 31, which had over in 1962 and is another broker with the 300 participants. Mullin was very social, company, said that he was always one of the often opening his home to guests, and fairest in the business. celebrating holidays in style. “Even with brokers outside our office, “For years, he always celebrated he would include people,” Ianella said. “If Thansksgiving during the day with family, somebody helped him, he would make and then he would head to his house [in sure they got some remuneration. He Provincetown] and prepare a Thanksgiving was incredibly fair, and that’s why he was dinner celebration on that Satuday evening so successful, because his reputation was for anywhere from 50 to 60 people,” said incredible.” Bill French, another lifelong friend and Paul Whaley, a broker with The Whaley business associate who often attended these Ring Team, said that when he started parties. “We would have a marvelous time. in the real estate business, Mullin acted He loved entertaining.” as a role model, showing him what an Between spending time in his two homes ethical real estate agent looked like.