US Postal Service deadlines for Christmas deliveries
MIAMI - With Thanksgiving right around the corner and Christmas on the horizon, the U.S. Postal Service is gearing up for a busy holiday season.
To ensure that your cards and gifts arrive before December 25th, the postal service has issued some deadlines.
- Card and first-class packages must be sent by December 17th.
- Priority mail must be sent by December 19th.
- Express service must be sent by December 23rd.
Staffing shortages, challenges from the pandemic, and other challenges meant difficulties for the USPS in the previous two years, but postal officials say they are ready this year.
USPS Executive Manager of Strategic Initiatives, Greg White, said a major increase in hiring is among the steps the Postal Service is taking to ensure packages are delivered in a timely manner. White said USPS is hiring 20,000 seasonal employees and has promoted thousands more from part time to full time staff.
Tammy Whitcomb Hull, the Inspector General for USPS said the Postal Service does not anticipate a massive increase in the number of packages that have to be processed and will have a more stable workforce this year, which will help with deliveries.