The U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday released dates Hawaii residents are advised to mail packaged by to give them the best chances of reaching their destinations by Christmas.
The Postal Service’s suggested mailing dates are Dec. 17 for First-Class and Priority mail headed to the mainland. Procrastinators have until Dec. 21 to send their holiday cheer to the mainland via our expedited Priority Express shipping service. Additional mailing dates are shown in the table below.
For those mailing within the state, First-Class and Priority mail should be sent by Dec. 21. Priority Express shipping service can be used as late as Dec. 22.
The dates apply to the mail received by each Post Office’s daily cutoff time.
Postal customers are asked to keep in mind that the above suggested mailing dates are not deadlines, implying that packages or letters will not arrive at their destinations if mailed after the listed dates. In fact, if normal holiday conditions prevail, chances are good that letters and packages sent shortly after the suggested dates will still make it to their destinations before Christmas. Ultimately, unpredictable factors such as mailing volumes and weather determine whether deliveries can be made early or on time.
The busiest time of the season for the Postal Service begins two weeks before Christmas. It’s expected that customer traffic at all Post Office locations will steadily increase beginning the week of Dec. 5. The week of Dec. 12 is anticipated to be the busiest mailing, shipping and delivery week of the season.
USPS Self Service Ship &Mail Centers are located on the Big Island at Hilo Main Post Office and the Kailua-Kona Post Office. These convenient postal kiosks allow customers to purchase stamps, print and pay for postage for packages, and conduct other common transactions without the need to stand in line to see a mail clerk. Postage can also be purchased online at www.usps.com.