These Are The Shipping Deadlines You Need To Know To Get Gifts Under The Tree In Time

Hate to be the one to tell you, but Christmas is quickly approaching. After you’ve made your list, checked it twice, and decided that everyone on it needs Blackberry Farm biscuits this year, you’ll need to get those packages in the mail ASAP if you want to make sure they arrive before the holiday. 

Luckily for those among us who plan and those of us who procrastinate, the clever folks at the various shipping companies have put together lists of deadlines to make sure your Christmas gifts don’t accidentally become Easter presents. 

While shipping to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or beyond, things may take longer, here are the shipping deadlines for the lower 48 states:

USPS

The U.S. Postal Service put together a helpful guide to holiday shipping for each of their service classes: 

USPS Holiday Shipping Dates for Contiguous U.S.

• USPS Retail Ground Service: December 17
• First-Class Mail Service: December 17
• Priority Mail Service: December 19
• Priority Mail Express Service: December 23

USPS Holiday Shipping Dates for Alaska and Hawaii

• First-Class Mail Service: December 17
• Priority Mail Service: December 17
• Priority Mail Express Service: December 21
• USPS Retail Ground Service: December 2 (Alaska)

FedEx

If you prefer to ship via FedEx instead of facing possible lines at the Post Office, the company compiled a list indicating the last day to ship with ground, freight, or express shipping. Note that the economy shipping deadlines are quickly approaching.

FedEx Ground Shipping Dates

• Ground Economy: December 8
• Ground Contiguous US: December 14
• Home Delivery Contiguous US: December 14
• Home Delivery Alaska and Hawai: December 14
• Ground Alaska and Hawaii: December 14

FedEx Express Shipping Dates

• FedEx Express Same Day: December 23
• FedEx Express Saver: December 20
• 2Day & 2Day AM: December 21
• FO*, PO*, SO, Extra Hours: December 22
• FedEx Express 1Day Freight: December 22
• FedEx Express 2Day Freight: December 21
• FedEx Express 3Day Freight: December 20
• FedEx Freight Priority: December 14
• FedEx Freight Economy: December 8
• FedEx Freight Direct: December 14

UPS

If you are a fan of UPS, here is when shippers should send out gifts to make sure they arrive by Christmas.

UPS Domestic Shipping Dates

• UPS Ground Shipping: Varies, but they have a helpful calculator to determine it
• UPS 3-Day Select: December 20
• UPS 2-Day Air Services: December 21
• UPS Next Day Air Services: December 22

Now these are all helpful guidelines for when to ship your Christmas presents. But we would also like to give a friendly reminder to anyone who celebrates Hanukkah or is sending Hanukkah gifts. The Festival of Lights begins December 18 so there is less time to get those goodies where they’re going. Hop to it, y’all!