New Yorkers: When Should You Ship Christmas Gifts To Avoid Delays?

If you are planning to send out Christmas gifts this year, consider this your friendly nudge to get those packages moving sooner rather than later. Holiday shipping deadlines look feasible on paper, but once the season rush kicks in, delays can pop up without warning.

The best way to avoid any last-minute panic is to ship well ahead of the official cutoff dates, especially if your package is traveling far or you are using a slower service.

For USPS, December 17th is the deadline for First Class Mail and USPS Ground Advantage. Priority Mail follows on December 18th. If you really need every extra day you can get, Priority Mail Express runs through December 23rd, though waiting that long leaves very little room for error. Military families using Priority Mail Express Military Service should plan for a December 16th deadline.

FedEx customers have several choices to work through. Ground Economy ends earliest on December 15th. Three-Day Freight goes until December 18th, and Express Saver continues through December 20th. FedEx Two Day services wrap up on December 22nd, while FedEx One Day Freight and the various overnight options reach their final day on December 23rd.

UPS keeps things moving with its own schedule. Three-day select packages need to go by December 19th. UPS Second Day Air services stop on December 22nd. Next Day Air runs through December 23rd, but that is cutting it close. Ground service depends on your location, so checking transit times is important.

The bottom line is simple. Ship early and save yourself the worry.