mail and ship by dates domestic mail-by...

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Domestic Mail-By Dates

Dec Mail Classification

11 (Military) APO/FPO/DPO Priority Mail and APO/FPO First-Class Mail

14 Retail Ground (Domestic)

16 (Military) APO/FPO/DPO Priority Mail Express

19 First-Class Mail

20 Priority Mail

22 Priority Mail Express

Mail For the TroopsTo send packages to loved ones serving in the military abroad, the Postal Service offers a discount on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate Box.

The $17.35 price includes a $1.50 per box discount for mail sent to APO/FPO/DPO (Air/Army Post Office, Fleet Post Office, Diplomatic Post Office) destinations worldwide.

Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes are available at no cost at local Post Offices, or can be ordered online at usps.com/freeboxes.

Postage, labels and customs forms can be printed online anytime using Click-N-Ship at usps.com/ship.

To ensure timely delivery of holiday wishes by Dec. 25, cards and packages should be sent to military addresses oversees no later than:

� Dec. 11: First-Class Mail and Priority Mail � Dec. 16: Priority Mail Express

Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes � Priority Mail Flat Rate Box — the ultimate gift box!

� Reliable

� Day-specific delivery

� Improved tracking

� Free insurance

� Holiday-themed boxes

Free Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes are available at local Post Offices or online at usps.com/freeboxes.

Skip the trip with Click-N-Ship — create mailing labels and pay postage online at usps.com/ship and leave the packages for the mail carrier to pick up. No trip to the Post Office needed.

Send holiday cheer to men and women in uniform and save $1.50 when you send the large Priority Mail Flat Rate Box to an APO, FPO or DPO address.

Free package pickup when the carrier delivers your mail — it’s FREE regardless of the number of packages.

Tips To Avoid a Shipping Glitch¡¡ Print addresses clearly and

include all address elements, such as apartment numbers and directional information (ex: 123 S Main St. Apt. 2B).

¡¡ Pay attention to batteries. Batteries should be securely packaged in the manufacturer’s original packaging. Items shipped with batteries installed that tick, vibrate or make noises during transportation can be delayed due to security concerns. Lithium batteries are hazardous materials and are restricted by type, quantity and battery strength. More information about shipping lithium batteries can be found in Publication 52, section 349.22.

¡¡ Leave space for cushioning inside.

¡¡ Place a card inside the package that contains the delivery and return address. This ensures the package can be delivered

or returned should the mailing label become damaged or fall off.

¡¡ Never guess a ZIP Code. NO ZIP is better than a WRONG ZIP. Look up a ZIP Code at usps.com under Quick Tools.

¡¡ Include both “to” and “from” information on packages — and only on one side.

¡¡ Do NOT reuse mailing boxes — they weaken in the shipping process.

¡¡ Select a box that is strong enough to protect the contents. Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express boxes are free at the local Post Office.

¡¡ Stuff glass and fragile, hollow items, like vases, with newspaper or packing material to avoid damage. When mailing framed photographs, take the glass out of the frame and wrap it separately.

usps.com/holidaynews

MAIL AND SHIP BY DATES

Alaska to Mainland

Dec 20

First-Class Mail and Priority Mail


Hawaii to Mainland

Dec 15

First-Class Mail and Priority Mail



THE NORTH POLE

Getting the North Pole Postmark

Stamps on holiday cards can be cancelled with the North Pole postmark. Here’s how:

1. Sign greeting cards as usual.

2. Address the envelopes.

3. Put a holiday stamp on the envelopes.

4. Put all of the envelopes in a larger envelope or preferably a Priority Mail Box. Use the following address:

NORTH POLE POSTMARK POSTMASTER 4141 POSTMARK DR ANCHORAGE AK 99530-9998

5. Put postage on the larger envelope or box.

6. Mail your Priority Mail Box by Dec. 10. Otherwise, use Priority Mail Express.

Letters to Santa/Operation Santa

This year marks the 105th year of the Operation Santa program. For 105 years, postal employees, charities and individual and corporate volunteers have helped children in need experience the magic of the holidays by adopting their letters sent to Santa.

The program will kick off on Nov. 28 at an event in New York City at the James A. Farley Post Office Building in Manhattan. Participating locations are posted online at usps.com/holidaynews.



PROTECT MAIL AND PACKAGES

Ten Ways to Protect

1. Avoid sending cash by mail. Checks and money orders are safer than cash and may be cancelled or reissued in the event of theft.

2. Don’t leave delivered mail and packages unattended.Just as wallets and purses shouldn’t be left on the front seat of an unlocked car overnight, mail and packages shouldn’t be left uncollected in mailboxes or on front porches for any length of time.

3. Consider an alternate shipping address. Customers can arrange to have packages delivered to neighbors who are home during the day or get packages delivered at work, if permitted.

4. Change the package’s address — while it’s in transit!Customers who know they won’t be home when their package is delivered can try USPS Package Intercept. Prior to delivery, most domestic package shipments can be redirected back to the sender, to a new address or to the Post Office to be held for pickup.

5. Customize the delivery. If the package doesn’t fit in the mailbox and the customer won’t be home to receive it, the customer can provide delivery instructions online and authorize the carrier to leave it in a specified location. Visit usps.com, enter the tracking number and select Delivery Instructions. Customers can also request their packages be left with a neighbor or held at a Post Office for pickup.

6. Plan ahead. Ship using Hold for Pickup. When shipping packages, customers can choose the Hold for Pickup option and the recipients can collect the packages at their local Post Office. For customers receiving packages, they can redirect incoming packages to their local Post Office by selecting Hold for Pickup using USPS Package Intercept.

7. Going out of town? Hold mail at the local Post Office. Instead of risking leaving a package unattended for an extended period of time, customers planning on being away from home for a few days are encouraged to take advantage of the Request Hold Mail service. Letters and packages will be held securely at the local Post Office until the customers return.

8. Secure the shipment using USPS Signature Services. Signature Services help ensure the package ends up in the right hands by requiring a signature at the time of delivery.

9. Choose the most secure form of delivery. For the most valuable packages, customers can opt for Registered Mail service. Registered Mail receives special handling from the time it’s mailed until it’s delivered, documenting the chain of custody.

10. PO Boxes might be the answer.Customers concerned about the security of their mail can consider renting a Post Office Box at their local Post Office. The mail remains secure within the Post Office and accessible only when using the right key or combination. Many Post Office lobbies are open 24/7, which allows customers to retrieve mail on their schedule.



Holiday Windows

Nativity

Kwanzaa

Hanukkah

Christmas Carols

The Snowy Day

Eid Greetings

Florentine Madonna and Child

Diwali

Songbirds in Snow

usps.com/holidaynewsSTAMPS

StampsThe Postal Service has a wide-variety

of seasonal stamps for the holidays:


National PostmarkFrom Saturday, Nov. 26 to Friday, Jan. 6,

Postal Service stamp-cancelling equipment nationwide will postmark stamps with this image.

What it looks like on an envelope.

NATIONAL POSTMARK



2017 Military and Diplomatic Services — Mail by DatesTo ensure timely delivery of holiday gifts and greetings by Dec. 25, the Postal Service recommends that cards and packages be sent to military APO/FPO/DPO addresses overseas no later than the mailing dates listed below.

Military Mail Addressed To and From

Priority Mail Express Military Service (PMEMS) 1

First Class Mail Letters and Cards

Priority Mail

Parcel Air Lift (PAL)2

Space Available Mail (SAM)3

USPS Retail Ground

APO/FPO AE ZIPS 090 092 Dec 16 Dec 11 Dec 11 Dec 4 Nov 27 Nov 6

APO/FPO AE ZIP 093 N/A Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec 4 Nov 27 Nov 6

APO/FPO AE ZIPS 094 098 Dec 16 Dec 11 Dec 11 Dec 4 Nov 27 Nov 6

APO/FPO AA ZIP 340 Dec 16 Dec 11 Dec 11 Dec 4 Nov 27 Nov 6

APO/FPO AP ZIPS 962 966 Dec 16 Dec 11 Dec 11 Dec 4 Nov 27 Nov 6

1 PMEMS is available to selected military/diplomatic Post Offices. Check with your local Post Office to determine if this service is available to an APO/FPO/DPO address.

2017 International Services — Mail-by DatesCustomers mailing internationally during the holidays are advised to review the chart below for specific deadlines based on the locations they are mailing to and the service they are using. When mailing and shipping internationally, customers must also follow necessary customs guidelines. Visit the International Shipping page on usps.com for more information.

International Mail Addressed To

Global Express Guaranteed (GXG)*

Priority Mail Express International (PMEI)

Priority Mail International (PMI)

First-Class Package International Service (FCPIS)

Africa Dec 19 Dec 7 Nov 30 Nov 30

Asia/Pacific Rim Dec 19 Dec 14 Dec 7 Dec 7

Australia/New Zealand Dec 19 Dec 14 Dec 7 Dec 7

Canada Dec 21 Dec 16 Dec 9 Dec 7

Caribbean Dec 21 Dec 14 Dec 9 Dec 7

Central & South America Dec 20 Dec 9 Nov 30 Nov 30

Mexico Dec 20 Dec 14 Dec 7 Dec 7

Europe Dec 20 Dec 14 Dec 9 Dec 7

Middle East Dec 18 Dec 14 Dec 9 Dec 7

* GXG Notes: 1) Cutoff date does not take into account time needed for customs clearance. 2) Should allocate extra transit day(s) for delivery outside major cities.

MILITARY AND INTERNATIONAL

SHIPPING DEADLINESusps.com/holidaynews

2 PAL is a service that provides air transportation for parcels on a space-available basis. PAL is available for USPS Retail Ground items not exceeding 30 pounds in weight or 60 inches in length and girth combined. The applicable PAL fee must be paid in addition to the regular surface price for each addressed piece sent by PAL service.

3 SAM parcels are paid at USPS Retail Ground prices with maximum weight and size limits of 15 pounds and 60 inches in length and girth combined. SAM parcels are first transported domestically by surface and then to overseas destinations by air on a space-available basis.

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