“Even though I say I’m not going to wait until the last minute, every year it’s the same thing – I have a bunch of Christmas presents to ship all over the country, and I am running out of time! What are the holiday shipping deadlines this year?”
As a pack and ship store in Boston, we hear this question all of the time. Well, mostly in December, actually, but you know what we mean – lots of people want to know what’s the latest date they can ship a present and make sure it gets there in time for Christmas?
As shipping experts, we’re going to urge you to ship gifts as soon as you possibly can. While all of the delivery services offer express and overnight options, the fact is that December 23rd is the last day packages are being delivered without holiday premium handling – a service that is not available in all locations.
What this means for you is that for packages going via USPS, 12/16 is the cut-off for 5 day shipping; 12/21 is the cut-off for priority mail express. UPS has 12/19 as the cut-off for 3 day select; 12/21 for next day air service. FedEx has 12/19 as the cut-off for 3 day freight and express saver; same day service is available until 12/22.
Which shipping option is right for your holiday packages?
Take the confusion out of shipping holiday packages by having your local pack and ship store assist you. They’re familiar with all of the freight carrier’s practices and regulations, shipping boxes are available on-site, and they’ll help you find the shipping option that suits your budget and meets your timeline.
Other tips to make sure your holiday packages arrive on time:
Check and double check the address to make sure you have it right. Wrong addresses are the #1 cause of delayed holiday shipments.
