The Postal Service™ is putting the finishing touches on what we expect will be a very busy 2021 peak season. Our employees are hard at work installing new machinery, dusting off the holiday-themed postmarks, and preparing for the influx of holiday mailings across the country. Here are some important details to help you prepare for your holiday shipping.
Holiday Stamps
The Postal Service offers a wide variety of contemporary and religious stamps for the holidays. Customers may purchase these stamps at retail offices or online at usps.com/shop. New stamps this year include:
n A Visit from St. Nick.
n Otters in the Snow.
Holiday stamps from previous years are also available:
n Hanukkah.
n Kwanzaa.
n Sparkling Holidays.
n Diwali.
n Eid.
n Global: Poinsettia.
As a reminder, the cost of a Forever® stamp increased in August from 55 cents to 58 cents.
2021 Holiday Mail-By Dates
Domestic Services
The Postal Service recommends customers in the U.S. visit a Post Office™ location no later than the dates in the table shown here for expected delivery by December 25 to Air/Army Post Offices/Fleet Post Offices/Diplomatic Post Offices (APOs/FPOs/DPOs) and domestic addresses*. For the complete list of mailing and shipping deadlines, go to about.usps.com/holidaynews.
Note: There is a temporary price increase in effect for all retail and commercial domestic competitive parcels: Priority Mail Express (PME®), Priority Mail (PM®), First-Class Package Service (FCPS®), Parcel Select®, USPS Retail Ground, and Parcel Return Service. International products are unaffected. The temporary rates went into effect at 12:00 a.m., Central Time, October 3, 2021, and will remain in place until 12:01 a.m., Central Time, December 26, 2021. For more information, visit about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2021/0810-usps-announces-proposed-temporary-rate-adjustments-for-2021-peak-holiday-season.htm.
International Services
We advise customers mailing internationally during the holidays to review the International Services chart for specific deadlines based on the locations they are mailing to and the service they are using. When mailing and shipping internationally, customers must also follow the necessary customs guidelines. For more information, visit the International Shipping page at usps.com/international/preparing-international-shipments.htm.
Military Mail
To send packages to loved ones serving in the military abroad, the Postal Service offers a discounted price of $21.15 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, and the temporary price increase in effect October 3 through December 26.
Note: There is a temporary price increase in effect for all retail and commercial domestic competitive parcels: PME, PM, FCPS, Parcel Select, USPS Retail Ground, and Parcel Return Service. International products are unaffected. The temporary rates went into effect at 12:00 a.m., Central Time, October 3, 2021, and will remain in place until 12:01 a.m., Central Time, December 26, 2021. For more information, visit about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2021/0810-usps-announces-proposed-temporary-rate-adjustments-for-2021-peak-holiday-season.htm.
Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes are available at no cost at local Post Offices or customers can order them online at usps.com/freeboxes. Customers may print postage, labels, and customs forms online anytime using the Click-N-Ship® feature at usps.com/ship.
To ensure timely delivery of holiday wishes by December 25, 2021, the Postal Service recommends that you send cards and packages to military APO/FPO/DPO addresses overseas no later than the mailing dates listed in the following table:
Military Care Kit
The Postal Service has created a free Military Care Kit based on the items most frequently requested by military families. The kit contains:
1. Two APO/FPO/DPO Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes,
2. Two Medium Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes,
3. Priority Mail tape,
4. Priority Mail address labels, and
5. Appropriate customs forms.
To order the kit, call 800-610-8734. You can find guidelines for packing, addressing, and shipping items to U.S. troops at usps.com/ship/apo-fpo-dpo.htm. To order flat rate boxes featuring the “America Supports You” logo, go to usps.com/freeboxes.
Addressing the Package
Use the following directions to properly address your military mail package:
n Write out the service member’s full name.
n Include the unit and APO/FPO/DPO address with the 9-digit ZIP Code™ (if one is assigned).
For example:
Army/Air Post Office (APO)
COL MELANIE DOE
PSC 3 BOX 4120
APO AE 09021
Fleet Post Office (FPO)
SEAMAN JOSEPH SMITH
UNIT 100100 BOX 4120
FPO AP 96691
Diplomatic Post Office (DPO)
JOHN DOE
UNIT 8400 BOX 0000
DPO AE 09498-0048
n Do not write the country name where the service member is stationed in the address.
n Include a return address.
n Inside the box, include the service member’s name and address as well as the sender’s name and address on an index card in case the shipping label gets damaged in transit.
Busiest Mailing and Delivery Days
Our busiest time is now 2 weeks before Christmas. Starting the week of December 6, customer traffic is expected to increase. The Postal Service predicts that the week of December 13–18 will be the busiest mailing, shipping, and delivery week for the holidays.
Skip the Trip and Ship Online
The Postal Service anticipates December 19 will be the busiest day online with 12.5 million customers predicted to visit usps.com for help shipping that special holiday gift. And usps.com is always open.
The Click-N-Ship feature (usps.com/manage/package-intercept.htm) and other online services allow customers to order free Priority Mail boxes*, print shipping labels, purchase postage, and even request free next-day Package Pickup**.
There is a temporary price increase in effect for all retail and commercial domestic competitive parcels: PME, PM, FCPS, Parcel Select, USPS Retail Ground, and Parcel Return Service. International products are unaffected. The temporary rates went into effect at 12:00 a.m., Central Time, October 3, 2021, and will remain in place until 12:01 a.m., Central Time, December 26, 2021. For more information, visit about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2021/0810-usps-announces-proposed-temporary-rate-adjustments-for-2021-peak-holiday-season.htm.
The Postal Service will offer an expanded package delivery window — delivery in the morning, afternoon, early evening, and Sundays, where volume warrants.
The Postal Service has also expanded operational capacity with new equipment:
n 112 new package sorting machines, including:
n 43 new single induction package sorters.
n 38 new flex rover sorters.
n New material handling equipment.
n More than 70 logistics and mail processing annexes (rented for peak season).
n 44 package support annexes.
n 3,000 new tablets to assist mail processing supervisors.
Custom Solutions for Sending Holiday Packages
The Postal Service is uniquely qualified to deliver the holidays by offering a variety of custom solutions designed to make sending holiday packages easy:
n Packages that have stamps as postage and are more than one-half inch thick and/or weighing more than 10 ounces must be taken to a retail counter for drop off. Alternatively, customers can use a self-service kiosk for a postage label and drop off the package in a Post Office package slot, not a mail slot.
n Get free Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express boxes and envelopes in Post Offices or online at usps.com/freeboxes.
n Skip the line and use self-service kiosks located in larger Post Offices to weigh, pay postage, and deposit your packages.
n Use the Click-N-Ship feature online at usps.com/ship to create shipping labels with USPS Tracking®, pay postage, or use flat rate shipping products to avoid weighing packages.
n With free Package Pickup, your package can be handed to your mail carrier on his or her regular delivery route or you can schedule a pickup. For details on availability, visit usps.com/pickup.
n Take your packages to the retail counter at any Post Office location.
Custom Solutions to Help With Receiving Holiday Packages
The Postal Service also offers a variety of custom solutions designed to make receiving holiday packages more convenient:
n Informed Delivery® (informeddelivery.usps.com) is the free daily digital preview of what is coming to your mailbox. You can see what mail is coming to your mailbox, manage your packages by providing delivery instructions or reschedule delivery online, and see some exterior images of magazines and catalogs — all from your mobile app, dashboard, tablet, or computer.
n Customers can also request the package be held at a Post Office by choosing the Hold for Pickup option in the Informed Delivery app (informeddelivery.com), or online at reg.usps.com/login?app=HOLDMAIL&appURL=https%3A%2F%2Fholdmail.usps.com%2Fholdmail%2F.
n Customers who know they won’t be home when a package is delivered can use USPS Package Intercept® (usps.com/manage/package-intercept.htm). Before delivery, most domestic package shipments can be redirected back to the sender, to a new address (a neighbor, perhaps), or to the Post Office to be held for pickup.
Help Customers Avoid a Shipping Glitch
There are a number of things that customers can do to ensure their holiday mail gets delivered safely and correctly:
n Print addresses clearly and include all address elements, such as apartment numbers and directional information (ex., 123 S. Main St., Apt. 2B).
n Don’t send materials that are prohibited, such as fireworks or ammunition. Hazardous materials like perfumes, aerosols, or lithium batteries are mailable with restrictions. For more information, visit pe.usps.com.
n Items powered by dry-cell batteries sometimes turn on during handling and emit a light, buzz, beep, or tick. Ensure your device is powered off or package batteries separately (preferably in the original manufacturer’s packaging). Note: Specific packaging requirements apply to lithium batteries. For more information, see Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted and Perishable Mail at pe.usps.com/HAZMAT/Index.
n Place a card inside the package that contains the delivery and return address. This ensures the package can be delivered or returned if the mailing label gets damaged or falls off.
n Never guess a ZIP Code. NO ZIP is better than a WRONG ZIP. Look up a ZIP Code at usps.com under Quick Tools.
n Include both “to” and “from” information on packages and only on one side.
n Do NOT reuse mailing boxes — they weaken in the shipping process.
n Select a box that is strong enough to protect the contents. Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express boxes are free at the local Post Office.
n Leave space for extra 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.
Social Media Posts
Consumers can also find more information and interact with us via our social media pages on Facebook (facebook.com/usps), Twitter (twitter.com/usps), Instagram (instagram.com/uspostalservice), Pinterest (pinterest.com/uspsstamps), and LinkedIn (linkedin.com).
Subscribing to the USPS YouTube Channel (youtube.com/user/uspstv/custom) will help consumers see new tools the Postal Service is offering to help make mailing and shipping easier, “how to” videos (youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1NEtJgO49CVxEQebq6rvJkRE5UXeI2pM), and more.
2021 Holiday Information
Holiday Advertising Campaign
The 2021 holiday campaign will feature direct mail, TV, radio, print, digital, and social media promotions highlighting the organization’s proud tradition of delivering cheer and value to consumers and businesses.
Holiday Newsroom
Customers can find news releases, shipping deadlines, fact sheets, how-to videos, and much more by visiting the holiday newsroom at about.usps.com/holidaynews.
Holiday Hiring
The Postal Service will be hiring seasonal employees across the country to meet operational needs and the needs of our customers. Hiring decisions are made at a local level. Instead of just hiring seasonally, the Postal Service is focusing its resources on actively hiring year-round.
Employee Tipping
All Postal Service employees, including mail carriers, must comply with the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch. Under these federal regulations, carriers may accept a gift worth $20 or less (this includes store, restaurant, or mall gift cards). However, carriers must never accept cash and cash equivalents, such as checks or gift cards that can be used like credit cards (with Visa, MasterCard, or American Express logos) for any amount.
Carriers and Dogs
The Postal Service asks customers to place their dogs in a separate room before opening the front door to accept packages from carriers. Dogs are protective in nature and have been known to jump through screen doors and squeeze through door openings. More than 5,800 carriers were attacked by dogs last year. We want everyone to get home safely each day.
Get the North Pole Postmark on Your Holiday Greetings
To help friends and family get into the holiday spirit, the Postal Service offers the opportunity for you to get a North Pole Postmark on all your holiday greetings. Follow these simple steps:
1. Personalize greeting cards as usual.
2. Address the envelopes.
3. Put a holiday stamp on each envelope.
4. Put all the envelopes in a larger envelope or a Priority Mail box
5. Put postage on the larger envelope or box.
6. The recommended mail-by date to receive a response before Christmas day is December 6, which will ensure all requests are received by the Anchorage postmaster no later than December 13.
7. Otherwise, use Priority Mail Express and send cards to:
NORTH POLE POSTMARK
POSTMASTER
4141 POSTMARK DR
ANCHORAGE AK 99530-9998
Get an “Official” Letter from Santa for Your Children
Note: Getting a letter from Santa is NOT the same as USPS Operation Santa.
This exciting program provides children with responses from the big guy at the North Pole. Follow these simple steps to get Santa Mail (complete with a North Pole Postmark) on your child’s letter to Santa:
1. Have your child write a letter to Santa and place it in an envelope addressed to SANTA CLAUS, NORTH POLE.
2. Later, when alone, open the envelope and write a personalized response to the child on the back of the letter. Don’t forget to sign it from Santa!
2. Insert the response letter into a separate envelope and address it to the child.
3. Add the return address to the envelope:
SANTA CLAUS, NORTH POLE.
4. Affix a First-Class Mail stamp to the envelope.
5. Place the complete envelope into a larger envelope (preferably a Priority Mail Flat Rate envelope) with appropriate postage and address it to:
NORTH POLE POSTMARK
POSTMASTER
4141 POSTMARK DR
ANCHORAGE, AK 99530-9998
The recommended mail-by date is December 6 to receive a response before Christmas day. The Anchorage postmaster must receive the envelope no later than December 13. Santa’s helpers in Anchorage, AK, will take care of the rest!
— Public Relations,
Corporate Communications, 10-21-21
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