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Is it just me, or does the holiday season get earlier and earlier each year? I don't know, but what I do know is that if you're sending something via the United States Postal Service (USPS), you have to get your gifts together pretty early. That's, of course, if you care about those gifts arriving before or on Christmas. So, here are the holiday shipping deadlines for 2023. The holiday season is upon us, so keep this list handy all season.
The USPS on Tuesday (Oct. 10) announced shipping and mailing deadlines for the 2023 holiday and Christmas season. These deadlines are to help ensure that your gifts, letters and cards arrive before December 25.
Some good news is that there will be no surcharges on shipping this year, the USPS states.
"The Postal Service has announced it will not have a peak, or demand, surcharge this holiday season, offering increased predictability in pricing for customers," the USPS said in a statement. "As always, the Postal Service offers simple, upfront pricing year-round with no additional fees for residential area delivery, for Saturday delivery, no fuel surcharges and no volume minimums. The Postal Service continues to be the most affordable way to mail and ship this holiday season."
Here Are the Holiday Shipping Deadlines for 2023
The deadlines for all states, excluding Hawaii, are here:
USPS Ground Advantage -- December 16
First-Class Mail, including greeting cards -- December 16
Priority Mail -- December 18
Priority Mail Express -- December 20
For Hawaii, the one change is priority mail shipping. Instead of December 18, packages and cards need to be sent by December 16.
For Air/Army Post Office, Fleet Post Office, or Diplomatic Post Office, the dates are below:
USPS Ground Advantage -- November 6
First-Class Mail -- December 9
Priority Mail -- December 9
Priority Mail Express Military Service -- December 15
USPS Ground Advantage is a new shipping option this year. The USPS said it is "a service that provides a simple, reliable and affordable way to ship packages with day certain delivery of 2-5 business days based on distance."
What about international mail? Those shipping deadlines are different depending on the country. Check with your local post office for the shipping deadline for your exact destination.
