The United States Postal Service® (USPS®) and its dedicated employees across the nation are ready to deliver another successful holiday season of outstanding service.
“Our 2022 peak season was a tremendous success,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. “We are ready to deliver for the holidays in a superior and routine manner. We have been planning early and leveraging investments in our people, infrastructure, transportation, and technology, made possible by the Delivering for America™ plan.”
Throughout 2023, USPS has maintained strong service performance while engaging in numerous transformational initiatives across the organization and the country. Additionally, the Postal Service™ is working hard to correct service-related issues in limited areas across the nation through hiring initiatives and improving operational efficiency.
No Holiday Surcharges
The Postal Service has also announced it will not levy any additional surcharges for customers this holiday season, offering increased predictability in pricing. There will be no additional fees for residential area delivery, for Saturday delivery, or for minimum volumes. USPS will continue to be the most affordable way to mail and ship this holiday season.
Key Investments Ahead of 2023 Peak Season
Delivering for America investments in the Postal Service’s workforce, package processing, and delivery operations ahead of the 2023 peak holiday season include:
n Hiring 10,000 seasonal employees: The Postal Service has focused on its Delivering for America initiative to stabilize its workforce — converting over 150,000 precareer workers into career positions since October 2020. Due to this success, USPS anticipates the need to hire only an additional 10,000 seasonal employees.
n Using 348 new package sorting machines: These new machines are strategic investments in local community postal infrastructure, enabling postal workers to sort and process packages of all sizes more quickly and reliably. To date, the Postal Service has installed 348 new package processing machines across the nation since the beginning of 2021. This includes 100 new sorting machines since last peak season. USPS will install an additional 47 new machines ahead of this holiday season. This is part of the organization’s $40 billion investment in new technology and facilities under Delivering for America.
n Increased daily processing capacity to approximately 70 million: USPS has expanded its daily package processing capacity to approximately 70 million — an increase of approximately 10 million over last year’s capacity. Since 2020, the Postal Service has nearly tripled its daily package processing capacity. Increased package processing capacity allows for packages to move through the postal network more quickly and eliminates the need for the leasing of temporary annexes.
n Moving 95 percent of volume via more reliable ground transportation: USPS has adapted its transportation and logistics processes to handle the high mail and package volumes expected during peak season. The Postal Service continues to move mail and package volume from expensive air transportation to its redesigned ground transportation network. Currently, 95 percent of First-Class Mail and more than 95 percent of First-Class packages are moved through the improved, more reliable ground transportation system.
n New shipping solution — USPS Ground Advantage®: This enhanced ground solution provides a simple, reliable, and more affordable way to ship packages this holiday season in just 2–5 business days across the contiguous United States. USPS Ground Advantage provides America’s businesses and the public with a compelling new ground shipping option that leverages the organization’s unparalleled last-mile delivery route system and improves the mail and package postal logistics network.
“We understand the importance of every single package and letter that is sent during the holidays,” said DeJoy. “That is why we continue to adapt and execute on strategies to modernize and transform the Postal Service into the high-performing organization the nation expects and deserves. I am confident in our ability to handle the peak season surge and deliver exceptional service to the American people during the holidays and beyond.”
More information on tools and tips to help customers prepare for the busy holiday season can be found in the USPS Holiday Newsroom at about.usps.com/holidaynews.
2023 Holiday Shipping Deadlines
Domestic Services
The Postal Service recommends customers in the United States visit a Post Office™ no later than the dates in the table shown on the next page for expected delivery by December 25 to Air/Army Post Offices/Fleet Post Offices/Diplomatic Post Offices (APOs/FPOs/DPOs) and domestic addresses1. For the complete list of mailing and shipping deadlines, go to about.usps.com/holidaynews.
International Services
We advise customers mailing internationally during the holidays to review the International Services chart for specific deadlines4 based on the locations they are mailing to and the service they are using.
Military Mail
To send packages to loved ones serving in the military abroad, the Postal Service offers a discounted price of $21.20 on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate® box. The price includes a $1.60 per box discount for mail sent to Air/Army Post Offices/Fleet Post Offices/Diplomatic Post Offices (APOs/FPOs/DPOs) destinations worldwide.
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, 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 offers 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. Four 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
n Write out the service member’s full name.
n Include the unit and APO/FPO/DPO address.
n Include 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 8400 BOX 0000
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.
Holiday Stamps
The Postal Service offers a wide variety of holiday-themed stamps. Customers may purchase these stamps at Post Office locations nationwide or online at usps.com/shop. New stamps this year include:
n Snow Globes.
n Winter Woodland Animals.
Holiday stamps from previous years are also available:
n Holiday Elves.
n Snowy Beauty.
n Hanukkah.
n Virgin and Child.
n Our Lady of Guapulo.
n Kwanzaa.
n Diwali.
n Eid Greetings.
As a reminder, Forever® stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.
Mail Safely
Effective June 2022, packages containing hazardous materials — in particular, lithium-ion batteries — must be mailed via surface transportation, using USPS Ground Advantage. The requirements are 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.
Also, the Postal Service wants to remind customers that metallic mercury and devices containing metallic mercury are always prohibited in the mailstream (see about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2023/0629-mercury-remains-prohibited-in-the-mail.htm).
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 Ground Advantage 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 Publica- tion 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail (pe.usps.com/text/pub52/welcome.htm).
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 The Postal Service will offer an expanded package delivery window — including early evening and Sundays, where volume warrants.
n Packages that have stamps as postage and are more than a 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 for 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 deliv- ery 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 counter at any Post Office.
Custom Solutions to Help with Receiving Holiday Packages and Mail
The Postal Service also offers a variety of custom solutions designed to make receiving holiday packages more convenient:
n Informed Delivery® is a free service from USPS that shows you preview images of incoming mail, as well as status updates about your incoming and outbound packages. You can see those notifications in a morning Daily Digest email, or at any time via the dashboard from your phone, computer, or the USPS Mobile® app. Informed Delivery also has other features that make tracking and receiving your packages easier and more convenient. For more information, visit informeddelivery.usps.com.
n USPS Hold Mail® service can hold your mail safely at your local Post Office facility until you return for up to 30 days. For more information or to initiate a Hold Mail request, customers can visit usps.com/manage/hold-mail.htm.
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 (such as a neighbor), or to the Post Office to be held for pickup.
Helping Customers Avoid a Shipping Delay
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, ammunition, or devices containing metallic mercury. This includes antique items such as thermometers, barometers, blood pressure monitors, and similar devices. Hazardous materials, such as perfumes, aerosols, or lithium batteries are mailable with restrictions. For more information, visit about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2023/0629-mercury-remains-prohibited-in-the-mail.htm.
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 tools.usps.com/zip-code-lookup.htm 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 local Post Offices.
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.
n Stay updated on service impacts by visiting about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts/residential/welcome.htm.
Social Media Posts
Executive and Administrative Schedule (EAS) employees can promote the USPS brand on their personal social media networks via USPS Zone — a voluntary social media ambassador program. Participants share pre-approved, curated Postal Service holiday-related social media posts on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. For more information, email uspszone@usps.gov.
Consumers can also find more information and interact with USPS via 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).
The USPS TV YouTube channel has a variety of content to help consumers during the holidays and beyond, including “how to” videos, information on our products and services, stamps, employment, and more. Visit USPS TV online at youtube.com/user/uspstv/custom to view, like, and subscribe.
2023 Holiday Information
Holiday Newsroom
More information on tools and tips to help customers prepare for the busy holiday season can be found at about.usps.com/holidaynews.
Holiday Advertising Campaign
The 2023 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 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. In addition to seasonal hiring, the Postal Service is hiring year-round. Go to usps.com/jobs to apply.
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. USPS wants everyone to get home safely each day. Find more information at the USPS National Dog Bite Awareness website at about.usps.com/what/corporate-social-responsibility/activities/dog-bite-awareness.htm.
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 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 for mailing.
5. USPS recommends putting your greetings in the mail by December 1. 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 mail-stream by December 25.
6. If customers miss the December 1 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 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 in time to postmark the stamp for receipt by December 25, the recommended mail-by date is December 1.
— Public Relations,
Corporate Communications, 10-19-23
