Postal Service Holiday Mailing Tips

Deadlines

Deadlines for U.S. delivery by Christmas: Using regular mail and Priority Mail service, mail holiday cards, letters and packages going out-of-state by Wednesday, December. 20. Mail to in-state destinations should be sent by Thursday, December 21. After these dates, you can still use Express Mail for packages to many destinations.

The holiday mailing deadline for delivery by Christmas to most overseas military locations and international destinations is December 11. Express Mail is available to many locations until December 19.

Call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800- 275-8777) to get the holiday customer service hours of your local post office, rates, ZIP Codes. You can also get holiday mail information at www.usps.com. Guidelines:

Mailing Cards and Letters

• Include the correct printed address on all cards, letters and packages, including name, street, apartment number, city, state, ZIP Code. Print return address in the upper left corner. Never guess on the ZIP Code. Use the ZIP Code Lookup at www.usps.com or call 1-800-ASK-USPS.

• For holiday cards and letters, the Post Office offers several colorful Holiday stamps including Snowflakes, Madonna & Child, Eid, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

Order holiday stamps and other stamps by phone at 1-800- STAMP-24 and from the USPS web site at www.usps.com. You can also order stamps by mail- request a "Stamps By Mail" order form from your letter carrier.

The Postal Service's newest on-line product, NetPost CardStore/Gift Card, marries personalized greeting cards with retail gift cards that can be designed and mailed from a desktop computer at www.usps.com. The card and gift card arrives at the destination with the value and sentimentality of a First-Class card delivered by a letter carrier.

Tips For Sending Packages

• When preparing your package for mailing, use a strong, sturdy box with no writing on the outside.

• Package the contents of your parcel tightly and securely, using newspaper, bubble wrap or other cushioning inside. Remove batteries

from toys. Package cookies, fruitcake and other food items in leak-proof containers or secure protective wrapping. Include the name and address on a piece of paper inside all packages.

• Seal packages with strong, reinforced packing tape. DO NOT use paper or string on the outside of a package. They can get tangled in mail processing equipment.

• Print the recipient's complete name and address, including ZIP Code, in large print on one side of the package only. Make sure you print your return name and address in the upper left corner.

• Package senders are encouraged to purchase package Delivery Confirmation service and Insurance.

Shipping Options

The U.S. Postal Service now provides customers with more shipping options just in time for the holiday mailing season. Using Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes, customers are able to mail packages- regardless of a parcel's weight or destination-for just $8.10 each. The new boxes don't have to be weighed, and no zone chart and rate calculations are required.

Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes are available in two shapes: 11 and 7/8 inches x 3 and 3/8 inches x 13 and 5/8 inches (ideal for garments, board games, books and other relatively thin items) and 11 inches x 8 and 1/2 inches x 5 and 1/2 inches (perfect for shoes, model cars and taller items). For the ultimate convenience, customers can use Click-N-Ship, offered online though USPS.com, to print a shipping label and pay the $8.10 postage, and use Carrier Pickup online notification to let their Post Office know they have a package to be collected when their letter carrier delivers their mail the following day.

Mailing Tips

• The best time for mailing at the post office is mid-morning or mid-afternoon.

• Mail early. Mail early. Mail early. Mail early. And finally, mail early.

• The U.S. Postal Service expects the busiest mailing day of the year to be Monday, December 18. The busiest delivery day is expected to be Wednesday, December 20.