Need Packages to Arrive by Christmas? Here are Your Shipping Deadlines

If you're the type to put off holiday shopping until the last minute, not to worry—there are plenty of speedy ways to ship your items nationwide and ensure that they'll arrive before Dec. 25.

Below is a rundown of USPS, UPS, and FedEx deadlines for pre-Christmas arrival. Cost, of course, goes up with the speed of the service.

Today, Thursday, is the last day to ship via First-Class mail if you're hoping your items will arrive by Christmas. Friday, Dec. 21 is the last day to ship via Priority Mail and Saturday, Dec. 22 is the last way to ship via Express Mail. 

The Princeton Main Post Office and the Palmer Square branch will extend retail hours on Saturday, December 22.  The hours of operation for those days will be 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Today is the deadline to send via UPS 2nd Day Air and UPS 2nd Day Air A.M. Friday, Dec. 21 is the deadline to send UPS Next Day Air, UPS Next Day Air Saver, Next Day Air Early A.M.

Today is the last day to ship FedEx 2Day Delivery and Friday, Dec. 21 is the last day to ship FedEx Standard Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight and FedEx First Overnight.  

USPS also recommends using its website – usps.com – to print shipping labels and pay for postage or using one of their Automated Postal Centers, which, like ATMs, perform many of the same functions of a trip to the post office