SCOTTSVILLE N.Y. -- A delivery with the message "Return to Sender" is what you would not want to receive only days before Christmas, but due to new regulations through the Department of State Diplomatic Pouch and Mail, Stokoe Farms is getting just that.

The Scottsville farm is among three tree farms in the state that received the "return" notification with size being a factor and a violation under the guidelines.

“I’m heartbroken that these people are not going to get their tree, ” says Suzanne Stokoe, Stokoe Farms owner. “Almost 10 years now we have helped local families send Christmas trees over to military personnel serving overseas.”

In the Stokoe barn, 14 of nearly 40 decorated trees intended for soldiers overseas, have been packed up. Suzanne says nearly 30 organizations like the American Legion Auxiliary and the Chili Senior Center who has raised $800 to have the trees sent. Mary Jeanne Packer, executive director of the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York, says that now the farmers are out thousands of dollars.

“Plus the time of packing, cutting and packing these boxes, and where is that refund going to come from?" said Packer. "The postal service doesn’t have a mechanism for giving a refund and they didn’t know they should accept them in the first place. So, it’s quite a mess."

“At this point, I don’t see how it’s feasible to get something to happen to get these packages to actually go through the system,” says Stokoe.

The local efforts are separate from the national "Trees for Troops" program which has not been affected.

Stokoe says that efforts are still being made for those military families and she willing to donate the trees to those families impacted.

“Not having a lot of luck on really finding some groups who will take them; if they can’t go to their original recipient to go to some type of military family.” said Stoke.

She says the last thing the farmers want is for the trees to go to waste.

The USPS has issued a response, saying in part:

"This is an unfortunate situation that has been brought to our attention, and we continue to look into it. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused our customers.

"We thank the men and women currently serving in the armed forces for all they do all year long, and appreciate their service over the holidays as we work to address this situation."