Postal Service provides guide to mailing season’s greetings

    WASHINGTON — With 16.5 billion cards, letters and packages to be delivered between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, the U.S. Postal Service has shipping tips to help make sure gifts are delivered promptly and safely during the holiday season.
    For customers needing sturdy, secure boxes, bubble wrap, mailing tubes, tape, envelopes and even greeting cards, post offices nationwide offer ReadyPost, the Postal Service’s exclusive line of pre-packaged shipping products.
    Other helpful mailing tips include how to get free supplies and services, reminders of shipping basics and addressing guidelines.
    Never guess a ZIP code. No ZIP is better than a wrong ZIP. Find the correct ZIP code at usps.com “Look Up a ZIP Code” or by calling 800-ASK-USPS.
    The Postal Service recommends the following mail-by dates to ensure gifts arrive on time:
• Dec. 10 for military mail for other overseas bases;
• Dec. 15 for parcel post, the most economical shipping service;
• Dec. 20, first-class mail;
• Dec. 21, priority mail; and
• Dec. 22, express mail.
    Due to security requirements, packages bearing postage stamps and weighing more than 13 ounces must be presented to an employee at the retail counter of a post office and cannot be dropped in blue collection boxes.
    Find more holiday tips and information at usps.com/holiday/welcome.htm.