The 2025 Holiday Shipping Deadlines Are Quickly Approaching

(Mix 93-1) Simply drive Loop 281 near Longview Mall or travel South Broadway in Tyler, Texas, from Loop 323 to Toll 49, and you know it's the holiday season because of the amount of traffic. Getting through these corridors at this time of the year takes a lot of patience. It seems as if nearly everyone is out completing their Christmas shopping.

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Why Holiday Shipping Deadlines Matter

They're out looking for those special gifts. Once they're found, they've got to be shipped to Aunt Janelle's house in Baltimore or Uncle Doug's place in Aspen or some other special location in time so they can be opened on Christmas Day. You don't want to be a procrastinator and have that special gift arrive after Christmas.

You'll want to either bookmark this article or put these shipping deadlines in your phone's calendar so that you can get those gifts purchased and dropped off in time to be delivered. You might also want to pad those dates by a day or two and factor in some kind of weather delay, too.

Shipping Deadlines for the United States Postal Service (USPS)

USPS Ground Advantage: Mail by December 17
First-Class Mail: Mail by December 17
Priority Mail: Mail by December 18
Priority Mail Express: Mail by December 20
These deadlines apply to items being sent to addresses in the contiguous United States (lower 48 states).

For packages being sent to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Territories, the recommended send by dates are:
USPS Ground Advantage: Mail by December 16
First-Class Mail: Mail by December 17
Priority Mail: Mail by December 18
Priority Mail Express: Mail by December 20

Shipping Deadlines for UPS domestic service

UPS Ground: Check the UPS 'calculate time and cost' website -
UPS 3-Day Select: Last day to ship is December 19
UPS 2nd Day Air: Last day to ship is December 22
UPS Next Day Air: Last day to ship is December 23

Shipping Deadlines for FedEx domestic packages

FedEx Ground Economy - The last day to ship is December 15. Delivery can take up to seven business days.
FedEx Ground and Home Delivery - The last day to ship is December 17. Gifts should arrive in one to five business days. With options of 4-day to 1-day shipping with higher rates, with rolling deadlines of December 17 to December 23rd.
FedEx Express Saver - The last day to ship is December 20. Packages should arrive in three business days.
FedEx 2Day and FedEx 2Day A.M. - The last day to ship is December 22. Gifts should arrive in two business days.
FedEx First, Priority, or Standard Overnight - The last day to ship is December 23. Items will be delivered the next business day.
FedEx SameDay - The last day to ship is December 24. Packages need to be scheduled in advance.

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Avoid Delays and Save Money

With a little preparation, your Christmas gifts will make it to their destinations on time and bring some smiles to your relatives and friends' faces, and if you do it early enough, you'll save some money too!