The Postal Service™ is putting the finishing touches on what we expect will be a very busy 2022 peak season. Our employees are hard at work installing new machinery, distributing new stamps, dusting off the holiday-themed postmarks, and preparing for the influx of holiday mailings across the country. Here are some important details to prepare for the holiday shipping season.
Holiday Stamps
The Postal Service offers a wide variety of contemporary and religious stamps for the holidays. Customers may purchase these stamps at Post Office™ locations or online at usps.com/shop. New stamps this year include:
n Holiday Elves.
n Snowy Beauty.
n Hanukkah.
n Virgin and Child.
n Kwanzaa.
Holiday stamps from previous years are also available:
n Otters in the Snow.
n Diwali.
n Eid Greetings.
n Global: Poinsettia.
As a reminder, the cost of a Forever® stamp increased in July from 58 cents to 60 cents.
2022 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 October 2 at 12:00 a.m. Central and remain in place until January 22, 2023, at 12:00 a.m. Central. For more information, visit about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2022/0810-usps-announces-proposed-temporary-rate-adjustments.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 $20.95 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.
Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes are available at no cost at local Post Office locations 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, 2022, 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 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 5, customer traffic is expected to increase. The Postal Service predicts that the week of December 11–17 will be the busiest mailing, shipping, and delivery week for the holidays.
Skip the Trip and Ship Online
The Postal Service anticipates December 18 will be the busiest day online. Nearly 150 million customers are expected to visit usps.com during the holidays for help shipping that special holiday gift. And usps.com is always open.
The Click-N-Ship feature (usps.com/ship/online-shipping.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 October 2 at 12:00 a.m. Central and remain in place until January 22, 2023, at 12:00 a.m. Central. For more information, visit about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2022/0810-usps-announces-proposed-temporary-rate-adjustments.htm.
Effective June 6, packages containing hazardous materials — in particular, lithium-ion batteries — must now be mailed by surface transportation using Parcel Select Ground or USPS Retail Ground, Parcel Return Service or Ground Return Service. The Postal Service issued the new requirements for shipping used electronics and other hazardous materials because items of this nature can cause fires and other dangers to mailers, air carriers, aircraft passengers, and others.
Mailers must now separate all material requiring hazardous markings or labels into identifiable containers. To ensure visibility, these packages must be marked “Restricted Electronic Device” and “Surface Transportation Only,” in addition to any other applicable markings. Customers are not allowed to use Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, or First-Class Package Service to ship pre-owned, damaged, or defective electronic devices — such as cellphones, laptops, or tablets that contain or are packed with lithium batteries — by air.
Customers can find detailed information on common hazardous, restricted, and perishable materials in Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail (pe.usps.com/text/pub52/welcome.htm).
The Postal Service will offer an expanded package delivery window — including early evening and Sundays, where volume warrants.
The Postal Service has also expanded operational capacity with new equipment and hiring:
n 28,000 peak season hires beginning in October 2022.
n 137 additional package processing machines deployed before the holidays this year.
n Total of 249 new machines since the beginning of 2021.
n 60 million total packages processed daily this holiday season, compared to 53 million last year.
n 23 temporary peak annexes, in addition to the 48 parcel support annexes opened last year, which adds 8.5 million additional square feet to support processing and distribution operations.
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 For safety reasons, effective June 6, packages containing hazardous materials — in particular, lithium-ion batteries — must now be mailed by surface transportation using Parcel Select Ground or USPS Retail Ground, Parcel Return Service or Ground Return Service. Customers are not allowed to use Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, or First-Class Package Service to ship pre-owned, damaged, or defective electronic devices — such as cellphones, laptops, or tablets that either contain or are packed with lithium batteries — by air. Customers can find detailed information on common hazardous, restricted, and perishable materials in Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail (pe.usps.com/text/pub52/welcome.htm).
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/online-shipping.htm 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 Customers can also take any package to the retail counters 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 that packages 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.
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 number or PO Box number, and directional information as applicable (e.g., 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 (pe.usps.com/text/pub52/welcome.htm).
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/company/usps).
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.
2022 Holiday Information
Holiday Advertising Campaign
The 2022 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 and insert them into envelopes.
2. Address the envelopes and apply the appropriate postage (such as one of the seasonal Forever stamps) to the envelopes.
3. Put all the stamped envelopes in a larger envelope or a Priority Mail box.
4. Put appropriate postage on the larger envelope or box and take to a Post Office location for mailing.
5. We recommend putting your greetings in the mail by December 2. This will help ensure that the cards and letters can be received in Anchorage, AK, in time to postmark the stamp and get them back in the mailstream by December 25.
6. If customers miss the December 2 deadline, 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.
Help children receive written responses from the big guy at the North Pole. Follow these simple steps to get a letter from Santa complete with a North Pole Postmark:
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!
3. Insert the response letter into a separate envelope and address it to the child.
4. Add the return address to the envelope:
Santa Claus, North Pole.
5. Affix a First-Class Mail stamp to the envelope.
6. 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
To ensure cards and letters are received in Anchorage, AK, in time to postmark the stamp for receipt by December 25, the recommended mail-by date is December 2.
— Public Relations,
Corporate Communications, 10-20-22
