WASHINGTON — The holidays are coming up faster than you may think, and if you’re planning to send packages or cards, you’ll want to plan ahead. The U.S. Postal Service has released its deadlines for holiday shipping for this year.
If you’re sending cards, letters or packages and want them to get there by Dec. 25, the Postal Service says you need to send by the following dates:
- Dec. 15 if you’re sending by Standard Post;
- Dec. 19 for First-Class Mail;
- Dec. 21 for Priority Mail (delivery in 1-3 days, depending on how far it’s going);
- Dec. 23 for Priority Mail Express (Overnight shipping).
The Postal Service has more information on mailing and shipping on its website.
If you’re sending items to people in other countries, here are the deadlines:
- First-Class Package International Service:
- Dec. 1 for Africa and Central and South America;
- Dec. 8 for everywhere else.
- Priority Mail International:
- Dec. 1 for Africa and Central and South America;
- Dec. 8 for Mexico, Asia and the Pacific Rim; Australia/New Zealand and Mexico;
- Dec. 11 for Canada, the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East.
- Priority Mail Express International:
- Dec. 8 for Africa;
- Dec. 11 for Central and South America;
- Dec. 15 for Asia/Pacific Rim, Australia/New Zealand, the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe and the Middle East.
- Global Express Guaranteed:
- Dec. 19 for Asia/Pacific Rim, Australia/New Zealand and the Middle East;
- Dec. 21 for Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America and Europe;
- Dec. 22 for Canada and Mexico.
More information on international shipping is on the postal service’s website.
