Shop Early, Mail Early, Shipping 2020 Deadlines

So you have shopped, wrapped and now all you need to do is ship or mail? Ok, when do you need to make sure that you are in line and have those boxes ready to get into the mail?

The date will vary a tad bit in 2020 than in years past, because shippers say that since more and more people are shopping online, even ordering groceries online, that shipping carriers have been inundated with larger than normal volume since March (the beginning on the pandemic lockdown).

So, when do you need to have your gifts start their way to their final destination of your loved ones holiday celebration?

Here is what USPS.com says about the days where you need to get things in the mail (if you are using USPS services) for domestic mailings, (not including Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico)

• USPS Retail Ground® Service Dec. 15
• First-Class Mail® Service Dec. 18
• Priority Mail® Service Dec. 19
• Priority Mail Express® Service2 Dec. 23

For Military APO/FPO's, using the USPS:

• For USPS Retail Ground, they suggest you have it in the mail by 11/6
• SAM (Space Available Mail) 11/27
• PAL (Parcel Airlift Mail) 12/4
• First-Class Mailings, Dec 11 for all APO/FPO's except 093's which is 12/9
• Priority Mail 12/11, and 12/9 for 093's
• Priority Mail Military Express, 12/18

For UPS:

• UPS® Ground Dec. 15
• UPS 3 Day Select® Dec. 21
• UPS 2nd Day Air® Dec. 22
• UPS Next Day Air® Dec. 23

Remember that the above dates are guidelines as to the suggested very last date that you should try to get them posted. If you really want to make sure that your packages arrive in time for the December 25th 2020 holiday, you might want to get them into your shipper/mailers hands even sooner.

Also a reminder, if you can print and pay for your postage at home, USPS will pick up your packages from your front porch if you schedule an online pick up through their website. Just as suggestion, as I have done this many times and the convenience is awesome. Granted not everyone can do this.

If you are wanting to ship items UPS, you can always head to your local Staples location and they can help you with that as well. If you print your UPS labels at home,  you can drop your packages off and any authorized UPS drop off point like at your local CVS or Michael's Craft Stores. Using FEDex? If you print your labels at home then you can drop your package off at any Walgreens for pick up.