HYANNIS – As the holiday season ramps up, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is urging residents to ship any gifts or other packages soon.
“Last year was really a wake up call for us. COVID really changed the way that people used the mail. Instead of just having packages and gifts going through the mail, people were ordering everything from groceries to toilet paper to avoid a trip to the store and volumes were through the roof,” said Strategic Communications Specialist with the Postal Service Steve Doherty.
“This year, we started right after the last holiday season preparing for this one. And we’re ready.”
Doherty said that upgrades to the postal service since 2020 include 122 new parcel sorting machines across the nation and aggressive hiring campaigns all year to be ready ahead of holiday volume upticks.
According to USPS officials, those looking to get holiday cards and gifts to family and friends in the Contiguous U.S. by December 25 should send out packages no later than Wednesday, December 15 if they plan to utilize USPS Retail Ground Service.
For those using the service’s First-Class Mail and Priority Mail options, shipping can wait until Friday, December 17 or Saturday, December 18 respectively.
For those sending packages late in the season, Priority Mail Express Service remains an option so long as the package is sent by December 23.
Doherty said residents can help out the mailing process by following policies and recommendations from USPS.
“Mail early. Make sure you have whatever you’re sending in a good, solid box with packing tape, and make sure there’s a good legible label on there with the address, including zip code and all that information which will help it get there quicker,” said Doherty.
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