Ensure your gifts are under the tree in time with these shipping tips

  • Christmas — and the deadline for gifts you’re shipping to arrive on time — will be here before you know it! PHOTO/METRO
    Christmas — and the deadline for gifts you’re shipping to arrive on time — will be here before you know it! PHOTO/METRO

With just a few weeks left until Christmas, here are a few tips to ensure the friends and family you may be shipping to aren’t left empty handed on Christmas morning.

Watch out for upcoming shipping deadlines: The USPS recommends having all Priority Mail packages postmarked no later than Dec. 20, and all other letters and packages sent no later than Dec. 16 to ensure they get to their destination on time.

FedEx has similar deadlines, with FedEx Ground packages needing to be shipped no later than Dec. 15, and 2Day and SameDay packages need to be shipped no later than Dec. 20 and 22, respectively.

UPS doesn’t provide recommended shipping dates for UPS Ground shipping, but you can determine the estimated days for your shipment on their site; most deliveries are within five days, meaning you should aim to ship by Dec. 15, unless you choose to pay extra for Saturday deliveries.

UPS 3 Day Select, UPS 2nd Day Air and UPS Next Day Air have deadlines of Dec. 19, 20, and 21, respectively, unless you pay extra for Saturday delivery. What’s this all mean? That you have a little over a week to play a respectable Santa Claus for friends and family!

Use online tools to avoid crowds: The USPS, FedEx and UPS websites allow customers to purchase postage and schedule package pickups, so you don’t have to wait in lines or scramble to ship packages on your lunch break.

Be mindful of shipping regulations and guidelines: Nothing will stop your package from reaching its destination more than trying to ship a prohibited item. Be sure to check with your branch or the carrier’s website to ensure your gift is safe to ship.