Holiday Shipping Deadlines for USPS, FedEx and UPS

Every year, like clockwork, the biggest holiday of the year somehow sneaks up on people—which is wild, considering Christmas has been on Dec. 25 for, oh, a couple thousand years.

Radio stations start blasting Christmas music the moment the Thanksgiving dishes hit the sink (or earlier, if they truly hate joy). Your neighbors immediately respond by inflating an army of rooftop Santas, reindeer, snowmen, and at least one massive Christmas tree that could double as a runway beacon for low-flying aircraft.

And yet—yet!—despite all these glowing, jingling, Mariah-Carey-screaming hints, shipping that package you absolutely, positively must get there on time still manages to come as a shock. Every. Single. Year.

So after decades of dealing with last-minute mailers—the folks sending the latest overpriced intelli-toy to little Timmy, or the annual rum-soaked fruitcake (or fruitcake-soaked rum?) to Aunt Gurdie—the Big Three of holiday shipping have once again released their official deadlines.

Translation: Here are the dates you’ll ignore until the very last second.

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U.S. Postal Service

Recommended send-by dates for U.S. delivery before Dec. 25 (excluding Alaska and Hawaii):

• USPS Ground Advantage: Dec. 17

• First-Class Mail: Dec. 17

• Priority Mail: Dec. 18

• Priority Mail Express: Dec. 20

For Alaska and Hawaii (because distance matters):

• Ground Advantage: Dec. 16

• First-Class: Dec. 17

• Priority Mail: Dec. 18

• Priority Mail Express: Dec. 20

For international or military shipping, the Postal Service politely suggests you check its website—ideally before you panic-shove something into a flat-rate box on Dec. 23.

FedEx

Mail-by dates for arrival by Dec. 24:

• Home Delivery

  • 5-Day: Dec. 17

  • 4-Day: Dec. 18

  • 3-Day: Dec. 19

  • 2-Day: Dec. 22

  • 1-Day: Dec. 23

• Overnight Services (First, Priority, Standard): Dec. 23

• Same Day: Dec. 24 (the true “I forgot my entire family” service)

• Ground Economy: Dec. 15

• Ground

  • 5-Day: Dec. 17

  • 4-Day: Dec. 18

  • 3-Day: Dec. 19

  • 2-Day: Dec. 22

  • 1-Day: Dec. 23

Shipping to Canada, Mexico, or Puerto Rico? Check the FedEx site—preferably not while standing in line minutes before they close.

UPS

UPS deadlines for Dec. 24 arrival:

• Ground: Check the website (UPS does not play when it comes to variables).

• 3-Day Select: Dec. 19

• 2nd Day Air: Dec. 22

• Next Day Air: Dec. 23

International deadlines? Also on their website, where they’ve posted them calmly—unlike you will be when you discover how long shipping to Canada can actually take.