USPS Christmas Mailing Deadline: All About the Last Day to Ship Holiday Gifts This Year

This year, leave the last-minute deliveries to Santa Claus.

The days until Christmas are rapidly dwindling, while the pieces of mail and packages sent out by the United States Postal Service (USPS) are quickly increasing.

The USPS might not have flying reindeer to help them deliver holiday cheer in the form of merry mail, but advancements in processing equipment and hiring thousands of seasonal employees have helped prepare post offices nationwide for their busiest time of the year.

“The Postal Service plans throughout the year to deliver the nation’s mail and packages during the high-volume holiday season and we are well prepared and ready to deliver for the American public,” Postmaster General and CEO David Steiner said in an October 2025 statement.

With Christmas around the corner, here’s everything to know about when to ship mail and packages to ensure they arrive in time to be placed under the tree.

When is the last day to mail out Christmas gifts through USPS?

There are different mail deadlines for delivery by Christmas.

According to the USPS website, if you are shipping within the contiguous U.S. — which includes the 48 states and Washington, D.C., but excludes Alaska and Hawaii — the deadline for mailing using USPS Ground Advantage Service and First-Class Mail Service is Dec. 17.

For Priority Mail Service, the deadline is Dec. 18, and those using Priority Mail Express Service have until Dec. 20 to ship their packages.

For customers shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories, the services and corresponding dates are the same except for USPS Ground Advantage Service. The USPS recommends mailing one day earlier on Dec. 16 to ensure timely delivery.

When is the last day to ship out international packages for Christmas using USPS?

Shipping dates for international packages vary depending on the destination country.

Places like Africa, Canada, Europe, Mexico, and others have recommended ship-by dates of Dec. 9 and Dec. 16. For packages going to Central and South America, Dec. 2 is the suggested holiday ship-by date.

For a complete summary of areas in the world and deadlines, head to the USPS website, which notes for international shipping, “Actual delivery date may vary depending on origin, destination, Post Office acceptance date and time and other conditions.”

Are U.S. post offices open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?

Post offices will be open on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, but the USPS suggests checking your local post office for specific hours, per its website. Regular mail and Priority Mail Express will both be delivered on Christmas Eve.

Post offices will be closed on Christmas Day. Regular mail will not be delivered, but Priority Mail Express will continue to make some last-minute drop-offs.

For those interested, the USPS has launched a live holiday counter, which keeps a real-time update of the millions of pieces the Postal Service is processing during the busy season, currently in the billions.

Has USPS changed its prices for the 2025 holiday season?

Yes, in August 2025, the USPS announced that there would be a temporary price increase “for some package services for the 2025 peak holiday season.”

“This temporary price adjustment is to help cover extra handling costs to ensure a successful peak season,” read the press release.

The price increase impacts the following services: Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage and Parcel Select. The rise in cost started on Oct. 5 and will stay in effect through Jan. 18.

“This seasonal adjustment will bring prices for the Postal Service’s retail and commercial customers in line with competitive practices,” the USPS said in a statement. 

The price increase depends on the mail service used, weight and the zones to which the items are being shipped. The change in cost ranges from a 30-cent increase to $16.

Despite the temporary increase, the USPS noted in the announcement that “the Postal Service has some of the lowest mailing rates in the industrialized world and continues to offer great values in shipping.”