Holiday Shipping Deadlines You Need to Know Now

Ho, ho, hoping your holiday cards and gifts arrive on time?

Of course you are. Punctuality always is preferred when you and your loved ones are sending mail and packages to celebrate the holiday season.

You’d be smart to heed to the holiday shipping deadlines established by the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS to ensure cards and packages arrive on time. Mountains of first-class letters and packages already are on the move.

Here's your must-know now guide to getting your presents and cards to their destination on time for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. 

And note of caution for procrastinators: Check with your local offices to confirm hours of operation in the days just before those holidays.

U.S. Postal Service

These are the key deadlines for domestic mail deliveries in the contiguous 48 states for deliveries before Dec. 25. 

• Dec. 18 for first-class mail and retail ground service
  
• Dec. 19 for priority mail service
• Dec. 21 for priority mail express service

The U.S. Postal Service says its official holiday season began on Black Friday, Nov. 29, and continues through New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31. Typically, the last two weeks before Christmas are the busiest stretch.

Sue Brennan, a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) senior public relations representative, urges consumers to mail early, especially when sending packages to “areas of the country impacted by inclement weather.”

The service does not release projections on holiday mail volume, but USPS says it’s is "primed and ready to deliver exceptional service during the 2024 holiday rush.”

Important to know: Mail to and from Hawaii and Alaska, overseas military mail and other international mail often have earlier deadlines. Here’s more if you’re interested.