As Christmas fast approaches, last-minute shoppers are being advised not to become last-minute shippers, lest their packages not arrive in time for the holiday. That warning is being issued by the US Postal Service, which has published the last day that it recommends mailing holiday cards and packages to ensure they arrive at their destination by December 25. “During the holiday season, customers should always plan to mail and ship packages early to ensure arrival by December 25,” a USPS representative wrote in a December 10 release.
The agency is recommending customers send all USPS Ground Advantage shipments by December 17 if they are shipping within the continental United States. The deadlines are slightly later for Priority Mail (December 18) and Priority Mail Express (December 20), but those options are also pricier.
According to a release, the agency has dramatically expanded its daily processing capacity — up to 88 million packages from 60 million in 2024 — for the busiest shipping weeks of the year.
December 17 is the last day USPS recommends mailing holiday cards and USPS Ground Advantage for items to arrive by Christmas. For a December 25 arrival, shipments get a bit more expensive with Priority Mail (deadline December 18) and Priority Mail Express (deadline December 20). As always, USPS recommends getting holiday items out sooner rather than later. The postal service is also set to hire some 14,000 temporary employees to handle the extra shipping volume.
The agency has also provided holiday shipping dates for those sending packages to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and other US territories, with the Ground Advantage deadline coming a day earlier on December 16, but Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express matching the mainland with December 18 and 20 deadlines, respectively.
USPS also has a website tracking the deadlines for those hoping to ship internationally for Christmas; in most cases, only the December 16 limit for Priority Mail Express International Service is still available.
-by Nathaniel Rosenberg
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