USPS Expecting Over 2 Billion Items To Process Ahead Of Christmas

We are 11 days until Christmas which means the deadline to get any last-minute gifts in the mail is now.

Last year, the U.S. Postal Service delivered 925 million packages during the holiday season. 

The USPS said they are expecting nearly 2.3 billion letters and packages to be processed and delivered just this week alone.

“Our systems are really bombarded,” said Sonya Dulan, who is a customer relations coordinator at USPS. “People are mailing packages and trying to get that last minute package to their loved ones.

While this week is the busiest week of the entire year, USPS said they've been preparing all year for this moment.

“We’ve installed a new packing sorting system that allows us to process mail faster,” Dulan said. “We’ve installed 112 of those machines nationwide, and we’ve also increasing our hiring so we’re ready.”

Here are some important deadlines you need to know:

1. Dec 15: USPS Retail Ground service
2. Dec 16: USPS Priority Mail Express Military service
3. Dec 17: First Class Mail Service
4. Dec 17: First Class Packages
5. Dec. 18: Priority Mail service
6. Dec. 23: Priority Mail Express service