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Addressing the Issue of Mailing Holiday Gifts

The Christmas countdown starts a little early for the U.S. Postal Service.

By Dec. 15, the massive outpouring of holiday mail will hit its peak, reaching about 280 million cards and letters--about three times the average for the post office. The sooner gifts and cards hit the mailbox, the better, say postal authorities.

For those sending mail who don’t want to pay a premium, Dec. 20 is the last day to send parcel post mail with the hopes of it being delivered for Christmas. It costs $3 to $6 for packages up to five pounds.

Express mail can be sent as late as Christmas Eve for next day delivery--for people who don’t mind long lines and paying up to $15 for a 2-pound package.

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To minimize delivery delays, postal officials offer the following tips:

* Print or type addresses on packages.

* Keep a uniform left margin for each line of the address and return address.

* Eliminate all punctuation except the hyphen for ZIP Codes when needed.

* Make sure the address is at least 1 inch above the bottom edge of the package or letter.

* Spell the city name, but use the two letter abbreviation when listing the state.

Those who don’t know the correct ZIP Code for their package’s destination can call (800) ASK-USPS.

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By taking a few elementary steps when wrapping Christmas gifts for mailing, you can help ensure their speedy delivery:

* Choose a sturdy carton big enough for package and padding

* Use pressure-sensitive or reinforced tape to secure box flaps

* Remove conflicting addresses

* Print address in capital letters

Other Considerations

* Rolled newspaper or Styrofoam popcorn provide good cushioning

* Brown paper and twine are not necessary and can even slow delivery

* Put your address and recipient’s inside package in case outside address becomes illegible

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* Recipient’s complete address should include name, street name and number, suite or apartment number, city, state and ZIP Code. Put ZIP on same line as city and state.

* Handwritten, all-capital-letter address is fine, but computer-printed labels are easier for high-speed processing equipment to read

Source: United States Postal Service

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