| • Today December 1, is the official kick-off of the holiday season for the Postal Service |
| • Busiest mailing day for holiday cards — Tuesday, Dec 20 |
| • Busiest delivery day for holiday cards — Thursday, Dec 22 |
| • Busiest mailing day for holiday packages — Friday, Dec 16 |
| • Busiest delivery day for holiday packages — Monday, Dec 19 |
| • The Postal Service is projecting that 16.5 billion cards, letters and packages will be delivered between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
Total holiday volume for same time last year was 16.8 billion pieces — down 1.7% |
| • On average, the Postal Service processes 551 million pieces of mail every day. |
| • During the holidays, that volume increases to 589 million pieces of mail daily. |
Holidays by the numbers
| 236 | Number of years the U.S. Postal Service has been delivering holiday cheer |
| 16.5 billion | Number of cards, letters and packages to be delivered between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. |
| 2.7 billion | Number of letters mailed over the holidays. |
| 801 million | Number of pieces of mail processed on Dec. 20, the busiest mailing day of the year. |
| 551 million | Average number of pieces of mail processed daily. |
| 589 million | Average number of pieces of mail processed daily during the holidays. |
| 30 million | In pounds, the amount of mail the Postal Service will process for overseas military installations, including war zones in Afghanistan, as well as Iraq. |
| 155,000 | Number of vehicles used to transport holiday mail |
| 3.3 billion | Number of holiday stamps the Postal Service has available this year. |
| 97 million | Number of customers who visit the Post Office during the holidays. |
| 47.2 million | Number of customer visits to usps.com during the holidays. |
| 4.7 million | Number of shipping labels printed from home and office using Click-N-Ship during the holidays. |
Mail-by dates
| Dec. 15 | Parcel Post |
| Dec. 20 | First-Class Mail |
| Dec. 21 | Priority Mail, the best bargain in shipping |
| Dec. 22 | Express Mail |
Things you should know
2.5 Billion holiday stamps available
- Contemporary – Holiday Baubles (ornaments)
- Traditional – Madonna of the Candelabra (by Raphael)
- Hanukkah
- Kwanzaa
- Eid
National cancellation
All letter mail processed through automation will be cancelled with this postmark:
North Pole postmark
Holiday cards can be postmarked with the North Pole image by sending them to the following address no later than Dec. 10:
NORTH POLE POSTMARK
POSTMASTER
4141 POSTMARK DR
ANCHORAGE AK 99530-9998
Letters to Santa/Operation Santa
This year marks the 99th year of the Operation Santa program. More information about the program, including participating postal locations, can be found at usps.com/holidaynewsroom
Emphasize!!
- If it fits, it ships — flat rate to any state
— Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes are the ultimate gift box
- Skip the trip with Click-N-Ship
— Save 3-11% and get free delivery confirmation when you create mailing labels and pay postage online
- Free package pickup when your carrier delivers your mail
— FREE regardless of the number of packages you’re sending out
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)
- Remove batteries from toys. Wrap and place them next to the toys in the mailing box. Customers should include the new batteries in the manufacturer’s packaging.
- Place a card inside the package that contains the delivery and return address. This ensures the safe return of an item that could not be delivered should the mailing label become damaged or fall off.
- Never guess a ZIP Code. NO ZIP is better than a WRONG ZIP.
- Include both “to” and “from” information on packages – and only on one side.
- Select a box that is strong enough to protect the contents. Priority Mail and Express Mail boxes are free at the local post office.
- Do NOT reuse mailing boxes – they weaken in the shipping process.
- Leave space for cushioning inside.
- 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.
Employee tipping policy
All postal employees, including carriers, must comply with the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch. Under these federal regulations, carriers are permitted to accept a gift worth $20 or less from a customer — no cash, please.
Gift cards are permitted at $20 or less with two caveats: 1) the gift card cannot be redeemable for cash money, and 2) the gift card must be issued from a single establishment, not bank or mall issued.
Hiring for the holidays
The Postal Service is operating under a hiring freeze and while some local areas will be bringing in holiday help for a few weeks, it is not happening on a nationwide basis.