We are officially in the holiday season!  If you are like the Jones and have family members that don’t live nearby, then the holiday shipping deadlines for 2023 need to be added to your calendar! In order to make sure that your gift arrives on time, refer to this list of dates for the major delivery services. Since Christmas is on a Monday this year, some shipping companies have advanced their deadlines.

United States Postal Service Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2023

USPS Ground Advantage: December 16, 2023

First Class Mail: December 16, 2023

Priority Mail: December 18, 2023 (For Hawaii, the deadline is December 16.)

Priority Mail Express: December 20, 2023

For Air or Army post offices, fleet or diplomatic post offices:

First Class Mail: December 9, 2023

Priority Mail: December 9, 2023

Priority Mail Express Military: December 15, 2023

FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2023

Ground Economy: December 13, 2023

Express Saver: December 19, 2023

2 Day Services: December 20, 2023

Same Day: December 22, 2023

For international, freight, and ground services that vary on location see FedEx’s website: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/holiday/last-days-to-ship.html

UPS

UPS 3 Day Select®: Tuesday, December 19, 2023

UPS 2nd Day Air® services: Wednesday, December 20, 2023 or Thursday, December 21, 2023 with Saturday Delivery options

UPS® Ground: Check ups.com/ctc for details

UPS® Ground Saver: Check ups.com/ctc for details

UPS Next Day Air® services: Thursday, December 21, 2023, or Friday, December 22, 2023 with Saturday Delivery options

Tips for Packing Gifts

You’ve got to pack your gift properly to send it out in time to beat those holiday shipping deadlines. Here are some useful tips that I’ve learned.

  • Pick the appropriate sized box. Select a box that is large enough to allow cushioning material around your gift, but not so big that the item is going to flop around as the box is moved.
  • Add cushioning, whether it is newspaper, packing peanuts, or foam padding, to help keep your gift in place and in one piece.
  • Tape all the edges of the box in an x or H shape to provide additional support and to keep dirt out of the box. I’ve gotten enough packages in white shipping bags to see what the floor of the delivery truck is like.
  • Remove the batteries from toys before shipping.
  • Add the decorations to the inside. Colorful confetti or paper garlands don’t add much weight to your item, but keeping the outside of the box plan will help you beat the holiday shipping deadlines. The outside should just have the clearly written correct address of the recipient while you can make the inside festive and fun to open.
  • Mark fragile items. Have you ever seen the inside of a delivery truck this time of year? If what you are shipping is fragile, mark the box. If it is a hollow item, add extra bubble wrap in the inside of it to help support the item.
  • Worried about losing an item? Print and extra shipping label with the address of recipient and return address and place it inside of the box. This may help it find its way to the recipient. You can also inquire about added insurance and tracking info with the shipper carrier you chose to use.