BOISE, Idaho – Haven’t mailed those holiday gifts yet? There’s still time, according to postal officials, who recommend Idahoans use Priority Mail through Dec. 21, and Express Mail through Dec. 22. For international destinations, Global Express Guaranteed service is available through Dec. 17 (later for some countries). Monday, Dec. 20 is expected to be the busiest mailing day of the year with more than 800 million pieces mailed, including more than 1 million cards and packages in Idaho.

USPS District Manager Ken McArthur recommends customers take the hustle and bustle out of holiday shipping by printing Priority and Express Mail shipping labels online at usps.com and requesting a free pickup of those packages at usps.com/pickup. Online shipping comes with discounts of 3 to 11 percent off Post Office retail prices, and free delivery confirmation – a 70-cent value.

Automated Postal Centers, located in 11 postal lobbies in Idaho, allow customers to purchase stamps, and weigh and mail cards and packages 24/7 using their debit or credit cards. The APCs are easy to use and are in three Boise Post Offices – Main Office, Cole Village and Five Mile; both Post Offices in Meridian; and Main Post Offices in Coeur d’Alene, Nampa, Post Falls, Twin Falls, Pocatello, and Idaho Falls.

In addition to the more than 225 Post Offices in Idaho there are also more than two dozen full-service Contract Post Offices. To find the nearest postal location, call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) or go to usps.com and click on “Locate a Post Office.”

Postal customers are encouraged to use free eco-friendly Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes, which come in four sizes, and are available at any Post Office, online at shop.usps.com, or by phone at 1-800-STAMP-24.

The USPS recommends the following mail-by dates to ensure your gift arrives on time:
Dec. 20 — First-Class Mail
Dec. 21 — Priority Mail, the best bargain in shipping
Dec. 22 — Express Mail

Holiday mailing tips:

• Cushion items with bubble wrap, newspaper, or “foam peanuts” so they do not shift during transit.
• Wrap each item separately when packing more than one item in the same box.
• Remove batteries from electronic devices and wrap separately.
• Mark packages "Fragile" in large print on the outside of the box when shipping materials that might be more likely to break.
• When re-using a box, make sure previous labels and markings are covered before mailing.
• Place an extra address label with the delivery and return address inside the package. This ensures the safe return of an item that could not be delivered should the outside label become damaged or fall off.
• Always use tape designed for sealing shipping boxes. Do not use string, cellophane and masking tape.
• Never guess at a ZIP Code -- Find ZIP Codes online at usps.com or by phone at 1-800-ASK-USPS
• Call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) or go online at usps.com, to get the holiday customer service hours of local Post Offices, purchase holiday stamps, print postage-paid mailing labels, request a Free Package Pickup, check rates, and more.
• Print addresses clearly. Include all address elements, including apartment numbers, suite numbers, and directional information. Print return address in the upper left corner.
• The best time for taking your packages directly to the Post Office for mailing is mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
• Package senders are encouraged to purchase Delivery Confirmation service and Insurance.

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Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm.

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no direct support from taxpayers. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 28th in the 2009 Fortune 500.