SALT LAKE CITY — It’s not too late to mail those holiday cards and packages, but hurry you must.

The busiest week of the holiday mailing and shipping season is upon us with an expected 3 billion pieces of mail and packages forecast to be delivered nationwide, including more than 200 million packages.

In Utah alone a record 10 million packages have already been delivered during the holidays – an 8 percent increase compared to last year.

For customer convenience, 25 Post Offices across the Wasatch Front will extend retail hours again this Saturday (see list below). The same locations will also offer dutch-door package pick up service from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Sunday for customers wanting to pick up notified mail/packages.

The Postal Service, which delivers more online orders to residences than anyone, is expanding delivery hours in Utah to handle the peak season's volume, with packages delivered early in the morning, evening and on Sundays.

Suggested mail-by dates for cards and packages destined for U.S. addresses are:

• Dec. 20 – First-Class Mail
• Dec. 20 – Priority Mail
• Dec. 22 – Priority Mail Express.

Suggested mail-by dates for International destinations

• Dec. 18 to 20 – Global Express Guaranteed depending on country

The Postal Service anticipates delivering more than 16 billion pieces of mail this holiday season, including a record breaking 900 million packages, which is a 5 percent increase compared to the same time last year. USPS expects to deliver more than 8 million packages each Sunday in December. Mail carriers will also deliver Priority Mail Express packages on Christmas Day in select locations.

Mailing and Shipping DO’s and DON’TS

• DO use the 24/7 Post Office in Your Home – Go online to usps.com/holiday to print postage-paid shipping labels and schedule a free pick up of your packages by your postal carrier the next day.
• DO use 24/7Self Service Kiosks – As easy to use as ATMs, the Kiosks make shipping 24/7, and are located in the lobby of 31 of the largest Post Offices in Utah.
• DO NOT wrap packages in brown or any color paper, and don’t place string around the package as it can get caught in automated package processing equipment
• DO select a durable box to protect the contents. Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express boxes are free at local Post Offices
• DO Print addresses clearly and include all address elements, such as apartment numbers and directional information (ex: 123 S Main St. Apt. 2B)
• DO NOT guess a ZIP Code. Look up a ZIP Code at usps.com under Quick Tools.  NO ZIP is better than a WRONG ZIP
• DO place a card inside the package with delivery and return addresses. This helps postal employees deliver the item should the mailing label become damaged or fall off

The following Utah Post Offices offer extended retail hours every Saturday Before Christmas (With the exception of the Park City Snyderville Branch, the Post Offices listed below also provide dutch-door package pick up service every Sunday before Christmas from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for customers wanting to pick up notified mail or packages which couldn’t be delivered on the first attempt):

• American Fork 55 N. Merchant St. – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Bountiful 20 S. Main St. – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Cedar City 333 N. Main St. – 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Clearfield 98 N. Main St. – 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Draper 12180 S. 300 East – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Layton 1123 N. Fairfield Rd. – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Lehi 333 E. Main St. – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Logan 75 W. 200 North – 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Midvale 35 W. Center St. – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Ogden Main 3680 Pacific Ave. – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Orem Mountain Shadows 877 E. 1200 S. – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Park City Snyderville 6440 Highway 224 – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (No Sunday dutch door pick up)
• Pleasant Grove 180 S. 100 W. – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Provo 95 W. 100 South – 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Riverton 12760 S. Park Ave. – 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Salt Lake Downtown 230 W. 200 South – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Salt Lake Murray 49489 S. State St. – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Salt Lake West Valley 3490 S. 4400 West – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Salt Lake Cottonwood 6890 S. 2300 East – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Salt Lake Main 1760 W. 2100 South – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sandy Alta Canyon 9265 S. Highland Dr. – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Spanish Fork 165 E. 900 North – 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• St George Red Rocks 1150 E. Riverside Dr. – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Tooele 65 N. Main St. – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• West Jordan 7901 S. 3200 West – 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Additional news and information, including all domestic, international and military mailing and shipping deadlines, can be found at the Postal Service Holiday Newsroom at usps.com/holidaynews

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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