With Thanksgiving behind us, it's time to start thinking about when to have all those Christmas gifts packed up and mailed in time to be under the tree.
Here's a breakdown of when to ship in time to ensure delivery by Dec. 25:
Domestic
The U.S. Postal Service ship-by deadlines:
- USPS Retail Ground: Dec. 14
- First-class mail: Dec. 20
- Priority Mail: Dec. 20
- Priority Mail Express: Dec. 22
USPS will also be delivering on Christmas Day in select cities. See a full list here.
UPS deadlines:Â
- Ground: Dec. 14
- 3-Day Air: Dec. 18
- 2-Day Air: Dec. 20
- Next Day:Â Dec. 22
UPS drivers will not pick be picking up or making deliveries on Christmas Day. Read more here.
FedEx deadlines:
- Ground:Â Dec. 14
- Express: Dec. 19
- 2nd-Day Service: Dec. 20
- Overnight: Dec. 21
FedEx does offer same-day delivery on Christmas Day. Read more details here.
Amazon deadlines 🤷
Amazon has not listed its final ship-by deadlines yet, but according to the website, customers should order gifts to ensure they arrive by end of day Dec. 24. Those deadlines will be posted here.
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Military
Sending gifts to members of the military stationed overseas and in the U.S. also have different deadline dates. Dec. 11 is the priority mail, first-class mail deadline with USPS. Check those dates here.
Not sure how to ship to active military members? The USPS Post office offers free military care kits, which include boxes, tape, labels and forms. Stop by your local post office to pick up a kit.