TRI-STATE (WFIE) -
The U.S. Postal Service is ready for its 237th year of delivering gifts this holiday season.
The Postal Service says 365 million packages are expected to be delivered
this holiday season, which is a 20 percent increase over 2011.
The
Postal Service projects the record-breaking increase in its competitive package
business due to consumers' growing fondness for shopping online. In total,
nearly 18 billion cards, letters and packages will be delivered between
Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve.
The
busiest mailing day for holiday cards/packages is Monday, Dec. 17, when more
than 655 million pieces of mail are expected to be processed, compared to 538
on an average day.
The busiest delivery day for letters will be Wednesday, Dec.
19 and the busiest day for packages will be Thursday, Dec. 20.
They say mailing
early is the key to beating the rush, so take note of the following
mailing and shipping deadlines:
MAIL-BY-DATES
- Dec.
10 Priority Mail Military
- Dec.
11 Express Mail
International
- Dec.
14 Parcel Post
- Dec.
17 Global Express Guaranteed
- Dec.
20 First-Class Mail
- Dec.
21 Priority Mail
- Dec.
22 Express Mail
Post Offices
nationwide will be open Christmas Eve, Monday, Dec. 24, and New Year's Eve,
Monday, Dec. 31. Most Post Offices will shorten retail lobby hours and close at
noon on these dates. Regular mail delivery will be unaffected by the change.
Revised hours will be posted at each Post Office.
The Postal Service
receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of
postage, products and services to fund its operations.
Copyright 2012 WFIE. All rights reserved.
