(WWJ) If you’re hoping to spread some joy to loved ones near and far this holiday season, time is running out to mail your packages.
The good news, you haven’t missed the deadline to send out your gifts in time for them to be under the tree Christmas morning.
USPS lists the following deadlines for expected arrival, to anywhere in the lower 48 states, before Christmas.
USPS Retail Ground Service- December 15 (That’s Tuesday!)
USPS First-Class Mail Service- December 18
USPS Priority Mail Service-December 19
USPS Priority Mail Express-December 23
However, if you wait until later, prepare to pay more. Retail Ground Service costs about $7.50 while Priority Mail Express will run you about $26.50.
With so many families social distancing and living apart because of the pandemic, USPS said they are experiencing unprecedented volume. USPS' website is decked with a red banner reading: “ALERT: USPS IS EXPERIENCING UNPRECEDENTED PACKAGES AND LIMITED EMPLOYEE AVAILABILITY DUE TO THE IMPACTS OF COVID-19. WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND REAMIN COMMITTED TO DELIVERING THE HOLIDAYS.”
Go to the UPS website and FedEx website, and you will find a similar message.
The deadline for FedEx Home Delivery and FedEx Ground for packages bound for anywhere in the U.S. is December 15.
FedEx Saver and FedEx Freight’s deadline is December 21.
If you like to wait until last minute and pay a little extra, FedEx also has options to send out your packages as late as December 22 and December 23.
FedEx has suspended its Money-Back Guarantee (except for FedEx Priority Plus) until further notice, because of uncertainty due to the pandemic.
UPS affords a little more time with options ranging from a deadline of December 21 to December 23. Click here to calculate expected arrival and cost for UPS Ground delivery.
Time to get wrapping!