2024 holiday mailing tips: Deadlines, what to know, packaging advice, more

CLEVELAND, Ohio – With so few genuine surprises remaining in life, few things are better than getting a box of goodies from a loved one or pal, expected or not.

And few things are worse than opening that box and seeing shards of a broken toy, memento or other gift.

So we offer our annual holiday-mailing guide, listing deadlines to know, packaging tips and a few pointers and factoids.

“We just tell people to ship as early as possible and have their packages ready,” USPS spokeswoman Naddia Dhalai said.

Dates to know

• Christmas Eve is Sunday, Dec. 24.

• Hanukkah is Wednesday evening, Dec. 25, to Thursday, Jan. 2.

• Christmas Day is Monday, Dec. 25.

• Kwanzaa is Thursday, Dec. 26, to Wednesday, Jan. 1.

• New Year’s Eve is Tuesday, Dec. 31.

• New Year’s Day is Wednesday, Jan. 1.

Happy Day!

Chrismukkah – the portmanteau of Christmas and Hannukah – happens about once every 15 years.

Deadlines

USPS deadlines to arrive by Christmas Day:

• Military First Class and Priority Mail: Monday, Dec. 9.

• USPS Ground Advantage: Wednesday, Dec. 18 (Monday, Dec. 16, for Hawaii and Alaska).

• First Class: Wednesday, Dec. 18.

• Priority Mail: Thursday, Dec. 19.

• Priority Mail Express: Saturday, Dec. 21 (Friday, Dec. 20, for Hawaii and Alaska)

Private shipping companies

• DHL allows shipments on Christmas Eve.

• Depending on the specific service, Fed Ex mailing deadlines are Tuesday, Dec. 19, to Friday, Dec. 22.

• UPS deadlines vary based on the service.

• Cnet.com offers assorted shipping deadlines. Deadline to send items with free shipping via Amazon is Saturday, Dec. 14.

Busy time

We are now officially in peak mailing season, which runs from Nov. 29 (Black Friday) to Jan. 1 (New Year’s Day). Dhalai said the Postal Service capability is 60 million pieces a day nationally. An online counter will be launched to track packages as they are being delivered. And Informed Delivery keeps tabs on the status of packages.

Holiday stamps

A forever stamp costs 73 cents. The Postal Service has assorted holiday designs, from religious to secular. If you go online some older stamps will be available. (Note: Larger or odd-sized envelopes might require more postage.) Themed designs this year:

• Winter whimsy

• Hanukkah

• Kwanzaa

• Joy

• Madonna and child

Patience helps

“Be patient with the carrier,” Dhalai said. “We do deliver early morning hours and late hours, so it does get dark early now.” She said it helps if residents “can leave their porch light on, clear paths if there’s snow, and always restrain dogs during delivery hours.”

Packing tips

Tried and true packing tips have remained mostly unchanged. Here’s a list:

• If possible, use new, double-corrugated boxes. If you are re-using a box, make sure it is in good shape. If it’s flimsy, toss it in the recycle bin.

• Don’t overpack. If something is in a box and poking the sides, you need a bigger box.

• If an item rattles, you didn’t cushion it well enough.

• Wrap items separately, no matter what the item is. That beloved pet portrait should be separate from the frame.

• Packing materials: Bubble wrap, newspaper, packing peanuts, air packs, crinkled butcher paper and shredded paper. Tips: Throughout the year, save these items for mailing. It saves money and is a good example of reusing. If you shred documents, the strands help here. If you use popcorn for packing, make sure it is air popped – no oil.

• For heavy items, use thick cardboard as protection inside boxes.

• Allow at least a 2-inch space around items for cushioning materials. Dhalai said always use extra cushioning because “We do have a lot of mail coming through.”

• Consider putting wrapped items in plastic bags to protect against moisture, especially if the box might sit outside on a snowy or rainy day. (I save drying / anti-moisture packets that come with a variety of products.) And if you are shipping clothes with something delicate, use the clothing as protection.

• If you mail via USPS boxes, make sure your item will fit into the mailbox slot. They should weigh no more than 10 ounces and be a half-inch thick or less. For box restrictions, go online.

• If your item is breakable, write “fragile.” But no cute doodles. Keep it clean so postal workers can read it quickly.

• Non-lithium batteries should be left in original packaging. Do not put them in toys, clocks or other items before mailing. In transit, a device could turn on and raise security concerns. Batteries should be sent separately. Or mail a gift card (weighs less and is smaller, too) for a store that sells batteries.

• Consider media mail. Positive: It’s cheaper. Negative: Restrictions exist. It’s limited to books, video and sound recordings, manuscripts, play scripts, printed music, some films, loose-leaf pages and binders with medical information and more. Advertising, video games and comic books are among restricted items. Media mail takes two to eight days. Check online for complete list.

• Two-inch wide tape is best. Do not use masking, cellophane or duct tape. Tape side seams first, then across the top. Reinforcing bottom flaps is a good idea.

• If a box has tape, make sure its adhesive sticks. Strands of tape sticking out can be accidentally ripped and take cardboard with them, weakening a box or poking a hole.

• Never use brown paper as a mailing wrapper. Labels can be torn, paper can rip. Do not use string, rope, cord or twine. It’s impractical and can muck up machinery.

• Consider Click-N-Ship to pay for and print postage at home. You leave the package for your carrier and don’t have to leave the house. With traffic and weather, it’s not a bad option. Note: 70-pound box limits. Free priority boxes – if it fits, it ships – incur flat-rate postage. Or you can fill, wrap, measure and weigh your box, then enter specifications online. Required postage amount will be given.

Think about your labels!

• Carefully remove old labels. Mark out notations, names, codes or addresses.

• Write neatly in block letters or print labels with clean fonts, nothing fancy. American Typewriter works well.

• Put addressee’s name and address inside the package. If you print a mailing label, print two – one for outside, one for inside.

• Do not write “to” and “from” all over the box. Use one side only.

• Be an editor! Did you leave off a zip code, return address, apartment number?

• Know zip codes. Look them up. If you know the +4 code, use it. USPS says no zip is better than a wrong one. (Cleveland has quite a few zip codes.)

• If you use self-serve USPS kiosks, make extra sure the address is correct. A clerk will look, but at the kiosk it’s on you.

Finally: A few tips

Plan post-office trip(s): Avoid lines by checking USPS locations to see which have self-serve kiosks and extended hours.

Vigilance: Porch pirates are bottom-feeders, and they are fearless. Reports of packages getting ripped off even seconds after delivery are real. Know your delivery times, pay attention to surroundings.

Traveling? Consider having the Post Office hold your mail. You need to give minimum one-day notice.

Card hack: Consider buying cards after Christmas for the following year. Prices are good though pickings can be slim. Or check online sellers for sales.

Smile! Life’s a bustle. Remember to take a breath and smile. Clerks have to deal with people all day.