Time is ticking to get those holiday gifts and greetings in the mail.
The week of December 15 is expected to be the busiest of the year for the U.S. Postal Service as people scramble to meet the holiday deadlines.
The rush comes before the quiet of the holiday week.
All post office locations will be closed and no mail will be delivered on Christmas Day (Thursday, Dec. 25) and New Year’s Day (Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026). All post offices locations will be open and regular mail delivery will resume on Friday, Dec. 26 and Friday, Jan. 2, 2026.
Self-service kiosks and smart lockers will remain open.
Holiday deadlines
For expected delivery before Dec. 25, USPS recommends sending items in the continental U.S. by:
- Dec. 17 — USPS Ground Advantage service
- Dec. 17 — First-Class Mail
- Dec. 18 — Priority Mail
- Dec. 20 — Priority Mail Express
2025 Holiday Shipping Dates for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories
- Dec. 16 — USPS Ground Advantage service
- Dec. 17 — First-Class Mail
- Dec. 18 — Priority Mail
- Dec. 20 — Priority Mail Express
USPS pointed to several improvements this year to assist with delivery, including the addition of more than 36,000 new delivery vehicles and 14,000 seasonal employees. The postal service has also opened nearly 200 processing facilities nationwide in the past four years.
