USPS Ready for Holiday Season, Provides Shipping Tips

Special to the Gazette

The Postal Service is keeping up the pace as the hustle and bustle of the holiday season gains momentum. To ensure customers get their holiday packages on time, our letter carriers will be delivering as early as 6:00 a.m. in many major metro locations across the country. So, if you hear the sounds of an early morning package delivery, please know it’s our way of helping Santa get an early start.

This month, our carriers will be out delivering in the early mornings in many communities. To help keep your letter carrier safe, we ask you to keep your porch light on, especially if you notice mail has not yet been delivered.

We have prepared all year to deliver certainty and continuity this holiday, and that means starting early in the morning.

Tips for a Successful Holiday Mailing and Shipping Season:

• Use free Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes. They are available at Post Office locations or online at usps.com/freeboxes.

• Make it easy with the Click-N-Ship feature. You can create shipping labels and pay for postage online at usps.com/ship.

• Schedule a free Package Pickup when the carrier delivers your mail. It’s free, regardless of the number of packages. Pickups can be scheduled at usps.com/pickup.

• Mail and packages that weigh more than 10 ounces or are more than a half-inch thick and use stamps as postage cannot be dropped into a collection box or left for a carrier to pick up. Instead, take them to a local Post Office.

• Sign up for Informed Delivery. Keep an eye on your deliveries by registering at informeddelivery.usps.com to see what packages are enroute and to receive daily emails showing what mail will be delivered.

2022 Holiday Shipping Deadlines

The Postal Service recommends the following mailing and shipping deadlines for expected delivery by Dec. 25 to domestic addresses and Air/Army Post Office/Fleet Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office (APO/FPO/DPO) addresses*:

• Dec. 9   — APO/FPO/DPO (all ZIP Codes) Priority Mail and First-Class Mail

• Dec. 16 — APO/FPO/DPO (except ZIP Code 093) USPS Priority Mail Express Military service

• Dec. 17 — USPS Retail Ground service

• Dec. 17 — First-Class Mail service (including greeting cards)

• Dec. 17 — First-Class packages (up to 15.99 ounces)

• Dec. 19 — Priority Mail service

• Dec. 23 — Priority Mail Express* service

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