It’s the fall, which means we’re talking about holiday care packages. While you might not have even bought trick-or-treat candy yet, it’s time to start thinking about and planning care packages for the holiday season.
The USPS just released their mailing deadlines for 2020, so you have plenty of time leading up to Christmas, Hanukkah, and the New Year to plan and get ready.
In 2018, the USPS said that there really isn’t one “busiest day” in post office volume anymore. Instead, they point to the two weeks prior to Christmas as the busiest in the year. Of course, this year, there’s also the added obstacles of the pandemic, the presidential election, and the well-documented slow-down in postal services. This 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). When possible, ship earlier to give the maximum of time available for the care package to make it to its destination.
APO/FPO/DPO AE Zip Codes 090-092, 094-099, APO/FPO/DPO AA Zip Code 340, and APO/FPO/DPO AP Zip Codes 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 Code 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
