Can you believe it’s October already? And we’re talking about holiday mail? (No, just me?) Believe it or not, if you have a loved one overseas, it’s not too early to start thinking about and planning care packages.
The USPS just released their mailing deadlines for 2019, so you have plenty of time leading up to Christmas, Hanukkah, and the New Year.
Last year, the USPS said that the post office having one busiest day of the year is an antiquated idea and doesn’t really exist anymore. Instead, they point to the two weeks prior to Christmas as being the busiest in the year. It’s best to adhere to the postal service’s deadlines, especially when sending care packages and mail overseas. Remember that these are all suggestions, not guarantees (unless you are notified of a guarantee when you ship your package).
APO/FPO/DPO AE Zip Codes 090-092, 094-098, 340, and 962-966
- Priority Mail Express Military Service: Dec. 18
- First-Class Letters and Cards: Dec. 11
- Priority Mail: Dec. 11
- Parcel Airlift: Dec. 4
- Space Available Mail: Nov. 27
- Retail Ground: Nov. 6
APO/FPO/DPO AE Zip Codes 093
- Priority Mail Express Military Service: N/A
- First-Class Letters and Cards: Dec. 9
- Priority Mail: Dec. 9
- Parcel Airlift: Dec. 4
- Space Available Mail: Nov. 27
- Retail Ground: Nov. 6
Domestic Mail
- First-Class Mail (including greeting cards) and First-Class Packages (including Alaska and Hawaii): Dec. 20
- Priority Mail (including Alaska and Hawaii): Dec. 21
- Priority Mail Express (including Alaska and Hawaii): Dec. 23
- USPS Retail Ground: Dec. 14
First time sending a holiday care package?
Don’t worry… you’ve got this! Use these articles to dream, plan, and execute:
- 22 Christmas care package ideas
- Here’s what troops really want in a care package
- Here’s how to avoid common care package disasters
- 102 stocking stuffers for deployment
