U.S. Postal Service Christmas Mailing Dates for Cards, Letters and Packages

Christmas Mailing Dates for Cards and Packages

The following are the suggested dates by which you should send Christmas cards and presents via the U.S. Postal Service to ensure delivery before December 25.

Visit our comprehensive list of U.S.P.S. holidays, UPS holidays, and FedEx holidays.

Also visit our page of U.S. postage rates and U.S. Postal Service state abbreviations.

Mailing Guidelines for USPS Christmas Delivery within the U.S.

Heed these holiday mailing deadlines to ensure your Christmas cheer arrives at its destination within the United States before December 25th. It is always recommended that you get those holiday cards, letters and gifts sent as early as possible.

Letters and Cards (First-Class): December 20

Priority Mail: December 21

Express Mail: December 22

Parcel Post: December 15

Hawaii: Be sure and mail a little earlier than the dates on the above holiday timetable if you're sending Christmas greetings to Hawaii. It is suggested that First-Class and Priority Mail items sent to Hawaii be mailed by December 17. Express Mail items going to Hawaii should be mailed no later than December 21. Conversely, if you're sending mail from Hawaii to the mainland, First-Class and Priority Mail items should be mailed by December 17. Express Mail items going from Hawaii to the mainland should be mailed no later than December 21.

Guam, Saipan and American Samoa:
First-Class and Priority Mail items: December 14
Express Mail items: December 17

NOTE: Some letters and parcels sent shortly after these holiday shipping cut-off dates still might arrive before Christmas, if normal holiday conditions prevail. Even so, do yourself a favor and get your holiday mailing done early this year.

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USPS International Christmas Mailing Dates

The following are the suggested dates by which you should send international cards, letters and parcels via the U.S. Postal Service to ensure delivery by December 25.

Recommended Mailing Dates for Delivery by Christmas

Items addressed to locations in:

First-Class Mail

Priority Mail International

Express Mail International

Global Express Guaranteed *

Africa

Dec. 2

Dec. 10

Dec. 20

Asia and Pacific Rim

Dec. 9

Dec. 15

Dec. 19

Australia and New Zealand

Dec. 9

Dec. 15

Dec. 19

Canada

Dec. 9

Dec. 12

Dec. 16

Dec. 21

Caribbean

Dec. 9

Dec. 12

Dec. 15

Dec. 20

Central & South America

Dec. 2

Dec. 10

Dec. 20

Mexico

Dec. 9

Dec. 15

Dec. 21

Europe

Dec. 9

Dec. 12

Dec. 15

Dec. 20

Middle East

Dec. 9

Dec. 12

Dec. 15

Dec. 20

* The above Global Express Guaranteed dates do not take into account time needed for customs' clearance. To ensure your GXG holiday greetings arrive in time, allocate extra transit time. Extra transit time should also be allocated for delivery outside major cities. The GXG Christmas mail-by date to ship to Afghanistan is December 19, and Iraq is December 16.

Note: Airmail Letter-post is now known as First-Class Mail International.

Recommended Christmas Mailing Dates for Military APO/FPO Mail

The following are the suggested dates by which you should send Christmas cards, letters and packages to APO/FPO addresses via the U.S. Postal Service to ensure delivery by December 25. Brighten the holidays of U.S. military personnel serving around the world by getting their holiday greetings to them on time.

Holiday Mailing Date Guidelines for Military APO/FPO Mail

Items addressed to APO/FPO locations:

1st Class and Priority Mail

Express Mail*

Parcel Post

Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL)**

Space Available Mail (SAM)***

AE ZIP codes 090-098 (except 093)

Dec. 10

Dec. 17

Nov. 12

Dec. 3

November 26

AE ZIP code 093

Dec. 3

N/A

Nov. 12

Dec. 1

November 26

AA ZIP code 340

Dec. 10

Dec. 17

Nov. 12

Dec. 3

November 26

AP ZIP codes 962-966

Dec. 10

Dec. 17

Nov. 12

Dec. 3

November 26

Mailing date schedule for mail FROM APO and FPO addresses:
The following are the suggested holiday shipping date deadlines to ensure Christmas delivery for military mail sent FROM APO and FPO addresses:

SAM: November 26
PAL: December 3
First-Class and Priority Mail: December 10
EMMS: December 18

* Express Mail Military Service (EMMS) is only available to/from selected military post offices.

** Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL) is a service that provides air transportation for parcels on a space-available basis. It's available for Parcel Post items not exceeding 30 pounds in weight or 60 inches in length and girth combined. The applicable PAL fee must be paid in addition to the regular surface rate of postage for each addressed piece shipped via PAL service.

*** Space Available Mail (SAM) refers to parcels mailed to APO/FPO addresses at Parcel Post rates that are first transported domestically by surface and then on to overseas destinations by air on a space-available basis. SAM packages are limited to 15 pounds and 60 inches in combined length and girth.

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