How to ensure your gifts and holiday cards arrive on time

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The clock is ticking to get your loved ones’ gifts in the mail and under the tree on time.

You have used lots of tape and lots of wrapping paper, but hopefully, you won’t spend lots of money to ship the boxes.

Carol Hilgret, from Fort Myers, is finally ready to get her son’s gifts in the mail.

“I never think I have enough, and maybe I need to put one more thing in or one more thing in, and I have enough. I have enough,” said Hilgret.

Everyone has the same idea. The post office lines are long, and time is running out before it will cost you more money to ship out those gifts.

USPS’s Customer Relations Coordinator Robert Rhoad said this is the busiest week for the post office.

“Everyone wants to get their packages out, especially on time, and save money in the process. So shipping out this week allows you to get those holiday cards where they need to go on time,” said Rhoad.

You have until Friday, December 16, to jump in line and ensure your gift gets delivered on time at the regular shipping rate. After that, you’re wasting time and money.

“The longer you wait, the more it will cost you to get your packages where it needs to go,” Rhoad said.

“We mail this no matter how much it costs,” said Hilgret.

Getting it in the mail sooner, so it doesn’t cost as much, is an added bonus.

You can find a full list of shipping deadlines for the holidays below.

Recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before December 25 via USPS, excluding Alaska & Hawaii:

  • USPS Retail Ground® Service – Dec. 17
  • First-Class Mail® Service – Dec. 17
  • Priority Mail® Service – Dec. 19
  • Priority Mail Express® – Service2 Dec. 23

FedEx and UPS shipping dates can be found in the documents below:

https://winknews.com/wp-content/uploads/FedEx-Holiday-Schedule-Peak.pdf

https://winknews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022-year-end-holiday-schedule.pdf

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