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FedEx

Shipping Holiday Packages? The Deadlines For USPS, UPS, and FedEx Are Here

By
Emily Price
Emily Price
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By
Emily Price
Emily Price
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December 21, 2018, 2:30 PM ET

OK procrastinators, if you’ve been dragging your feet mailing those Christmas cards or holiday gifts, you better get to the post office by Saturday.

The deadline to send mail via USPS and get it to its destination by Christmas has already passed for first-class and Priority Mail service (that happened Thursday).

However, you can still send mail Priority Mail Express for it to arrive by December 25, but you’ll need to get that item in the mail by Saturday at the absolute latest.

And, if you want to send something via UPS or FedEx then you need to get your items there today. Both services have the 21st as their official cutoff. Today is UPS’s cutoff for next-day air, and Fedex’s cutoff for FedEx Overnight packages.

FedEx will still be operating its FedEx SameDay, FedEx SameDay City Direct and City Priority services on Christmas Day, but when you’re talking about delivery in your own city it might make sense to just drop your gift off in person at that point.

If you have to return gifts after the big day we do have a small bit of good news: USPS said the biggest day for holiday gift returns was December 19, so the truck will be a little less full if you do have to mail anything back after the holidays.

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By Emily Price
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