BOISE, ID — Idahoans are expected to mail 1 million cards and packages on Monday, Dec. 17, making it the busiest mailing day of the year. More than 650 million cards and packages are expected nationwide. Fully-staffed Post Offices will greet customers, and postal managers will be in lobbies to answer questions and provide assistance.

Those looking to avoid the crowds, and save some time and money, are encouraged to ship from home for the holidays at usps.com where prices are up to 16 percent lower than Post Offices. And the savings don’t stop there. Customers shipping online receive free delivery confirmation, a 75-cent value, and free package pickup.

Postal officials recommend using Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes, which take the weight out of shipping.

“Our eco-friendly Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes come in a variety of sizes and are always free,” said USPS District Manager Ken McArthur.

Self Service Ship & Mail Centers, located in 18 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 machines are easy to use and are in six Boise Post Offices – Main Office, Cole Village, Five Mile, Overland, Borah, and Airport Station; and Main Post Offices in Caldwell, Coeur d’Alene, Eagle, Emmett, Garden City, Hayden, Idaho Falls, Meridian, Nampa, Pocatello, Post Falls, and Twin 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.”

The Postal Service expects to deliver 365 million packages this holiday season – a 20 percent increase over last year. Overall, The Postal Service projects to handle nearly 18 billion cards, packages and letters between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. Dec. 19th and 20th are expected to be the busiest delivery days of the year.

Suggested mail-by dates for cards and packages destined for U.S. addresses are: Dec. 14 for Parcel Post; Dec. 20 for First-Class Mail, Dec. 21 for Priority Mail, and Dec. 22 for Express Mail.

For international destinations, Global Express Guaranteed is available through Dec. 19 for most countries.

“The best advice I can give our customers is to mail early,” said McArthur.

Tips for Holiday Mailing and Shipping

• Confirm addresses. Print addresses clearly and be sure to include all address elements — apartment numbers, suite numbers and directional information for streets. For example: 123 S Main St. or 12456 Elm St. N. Include both “to” and “from” information on packages — and only on one side. Never guess a ZIP Code. Visit usps.com to find all ZIP Codes.

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• Choose the Right Box. Select a box that is strong enough to protect the contents. Leave space for cushioning inside. Do not reuse mailing boxes — they weaken in the shipping process. Customers can purchase ReadyPost boxes at a local Post Office or at the Postal Store on usps.com. Express Mail and Priority Mail boxes, envelopes and tubes are free.
• Pack Delicately. Cushion contents with shredded or rolled newspaper, bubble wrap or foam peanuts. Plain air-popped popcorn also is good for cushioning — it’s inexpensive and environmentally friendly. Pack contents tightly to avoid shifting during transit. Always use tape that is designed for shipping, such as pressure-sensitive tape, nylon-reinforced craft paper tape or glass-reinforced pressure-sensitive tape. Do not use wrapping paper, string, masking tape, duct tape or cellophane tape.

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A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation — 151 million residences, businesses and Post Office™ Boxes. The Postal Service™ receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com®, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 35th in the 2011 Fortune 500. In 2011, Oxford Strategic Consulting ranked the U.S. Postal Service number one in overall service performance of the posts in the top 20 wealthiest nations in the world. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency for six years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.