MISSISSIPPI DISTRICT — The U.S. Postal Service has added extended retail hours at select Post Offices during the month of December to help customers with holiday shopping at their convenience.

Designated Post Offices will provide full retail services, including stamp sales and package acceptance.  Locations with extended Saturday retail hours, and Sunday hours, are listed below:

Post Offices with extended weekday retail hours can be found by clicking Find USPS Locations under Quick Tools at usps.com. The site also provides locations for Self-Service Kiosks (SSK), accessible 24/7 at many Post Offices nationwide. Information about USPS products and services can also be obtained by calling the Customer Care Center at 1-800-ASK-USPS (800-275-8777).

Busiest Mailing and Delivery Days
Thanks to more people shopping earlier and shopping online, the Postal Service’s “busiest day” notion is now a thing of the past. Instead, the Postal Service now has a busiest time, and it starts two weeks before Christmas. Beginning next week, customer traffic is expected to increase, with Dec. 14-20 predicted to be the busiest mailing and delivery week.

2020 Holiday Shipping Deadlines
The Postal Service recommends the following mailing and shipping deadlines for expected delivery by Dec. 25 to domestic addresses and Air/Army Post Office/Fleet Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office addresses:

Dec. 9   — APO/FPO/DPO (ZIP Code 093 only) Priority Mail and First-Class Mail
Dec. 11 — APO/FPO/DPO (all other ZIP Codes) Priority Mail and First-Class Mail
Dec. 15 — USPS Retail Ground
Dec. 18 — APO/FPO/DPO (except ZIP Code 093) USPS Priority Mail Express
Dec. 18 — First-Class Mail
Dec. 18 — First-Class packages
Dec. 19 — Priority Mail
Dec. 23 — Priority Mail Express

To send packages to loved ones serving in the military or at diplomatic posts abroad, the Postal Service offers a discounted price of $19.60 on its largest Priority Mail Flat-Rate Box. The price includes a $1.50 per-box discount for mail sent to APO/FPO/DPO destinations worldwide.

Skip the Trip and Ship Online
Consumers don’t even have to leave home to ship their packages. Simply visit usps.com to take advantage of Click-N-Ship.  The site also allows you to order free Priority Mail boxes, print shipping labels, purchase postage and request free next-day Package Pickup.

Stamp Package Requirements
For safety reasons, you cannot drop off stamped packages (using individual stamps as postage) that are more than one-half inch thick and/or weighing more than 10 ounces into blue collection boxes, building mail chutes, or Post Office mail slots. Instead, you must go to a retail counter or use the Self-Service Kiosk (SSK) to purchase a postage label. If you opt to use the SSK, to buy a postage label, you can drop off your package in the package slot at a Post Office. If a restricted package is found in a collection box, mail chute or lobby mail slot it will be returned to sender. So, don’t take any chances this year, make sure to follow these package mailing guidelines.

Click-N-Ship customers are unaffected by this change. 

Additional Tips
Informed Delivery is the Postal Service’s free daily digital preview of what’s coming to your mailbox. This holiday season, not only can you manage your packages and sneak a peek at cards headed your way, you can also see some exterior images of magazines and catalogs — all from your mobile app, dashboard, tablet or computer. Informed Delivery is one more way the Postal Service is helping you anticipate, communicate and celebrate this holiday season.

The Postal Service is also promoting its “Shipping Tips” videos series. The five segments, which are featured on the USPS Holiday Newsroom site, offer tips to customers on the basics of packing, addressing and mailing packages. One video, “How to Pack a Box,” available in English and Spanish, shows customers how to choose the right size box, and the right packing materials and reinforcements.
Another video, “How to Ship,” explains when to use Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and First-Class Mail. The video also highlights services, such as Click-N-Ship, Certified Mail and Signature Confirmation. Other videos show customers how to send military mail and how to address a package.

Learn how to make a child’s holiday brighter through USPS Operation Santa or how a child can receive a letter from the North Pole by visiting usps.com/holidaynews.

The Mississippi District serves ZIP Codes 369 and 386-397. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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