Mailing presents for Christmas? Here are your deadlines

The official dates for shipping gifts in order to be delivered in time for Christmas (which lands on a Saturday this year) have been released.

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS), FedEx, and UPS have all released their recommended deadlines for shipping those holiday goodies.

Continental U.S.:

• December 15: USPS retail ground service
• December 17: First-class mail service (including holiday greeting cards)
• December 17: First-class packages (up to 15.99 ounces) 
• December 18: Priority mail service
• December 23: Priority mail express service

USPS For Air/Army/Fleet/Diplomatic post office addresses:

• November 6: Retail ground service
• December 9  :Priority mail and first-class mail
• December 16: Priority mail express military service

USPS Alaska and Hawaii: 

• December 17: Hawaii to/from mainland — priority mail and first-class mail
• December 18: Alaska to/from Continental U.S. — first-class and priority mail 
• December 21: Alaska to/from Continental U.S. and Hawaii to/from mainland — priority mail express

• December 9: ground economy
• December 15: ground and home delivery
• December 21: express saver
• December 22: two day and two-day am
• December 23: overnight services
• December 24: same day

• Ground shipping, check the website for a quote
• December 21: second-day air services 
• December 23: next-day air services
• December 25: no pickup service, UPS holiday 
• Note: UPS service guarantee still suspended for most services due to COVID-19

For the latest, up-to-date information on holiday shipping deadlines, visit the USPS site here, the FedEx site here, and the UPS site here.