The U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS have released recommended ship-by dates for gifts to be delivered in time for the December 25 holiday, which lands on a Saturday this year. With supply chain snags slowing deliveries to both retail stores and home doorsteps — and the USPS itself slowing mail delivery as part of a broad cost-cutting plan — retailers were already recommending consumers shop (and ship) early.

Here are the dates, according to the shippers' websites.

USPS

Continental U.S.:

1. December 15: USPS retail ground service
2. December 17: First-class mail service (including holiday greeting cards)
3. December 17: First-class packages (up to 15.99 ounces) 
4. December 18: Priority mail service
5. December 23: Priority mail express service

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

1. November 6: Retail ground service
2. December 9 :Priority mail and first-class mail
3. December 16: Priority mail express military service

USPS Alaska and Hawaii: 

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

FedEx 

1. December 9: ground economy
2. December 15: ground and home delivery
3. December 21: express saver
4. December 22: two day and two-day am
5. December 23: overnight services
6. December 24: same day

UPS:

1. Ground shipping, check the website for a quote
2. December 22: second-day air services 
3. December 23: next-day air services
4. December 25: no pickup service, UPS holiday 
5. Note: UPS service guarantee still suspended for most services due to COVID-19

First published on October 11, 2021 / 12:36 PM

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