What USPS Wants You To Know When Sending Holiday Mail This Season

It's the busiest time of year for the United States Postal Service, so there are a few things the agency wants you to know before you go to send your mail. 

1. Write Clearly and Completely

Make all writing on any envelope or label easy to read, including delivery addresses, names and return addresses so carriers can read it and deliver to the right address. Also ensure the full address is written out. USPS suggests including a delivery address on a card inside any packages too.

2. Double Check Postage

Make sure the right amount of postage is on the parcel before dropping it in the mail to ensure it gets delivered on time. You can check your postage amount online by entering the size and weight of your package. The maximum weight a package can be is 70 pounds.

"Make sure the postage is correct. If you don't know you can go online to click and ship and just kind of, put the configurations in to see for yourself the weight and the dimensions of a package," said Nicole Stobaugh with the United States Postal Service.

3. Avoid Sending Prohibited Items

There are things that cannot be sent by mail. Forbidden items include explosives, ammunition, fireworks, airbags, gasoline, marijuana and any item containing liquid mercury. Items subject to restriction include live animals, perishable goods, nonhazardous liquids and powders. 

4. Drop your mail off before the deadline!

"You want to get your letters and your cards into the mail before the 18th of December. The 18th is the deadline. If you do priority mail package, the 19th is the deadline, and then if you're going to do the absolute last, the absolute last would-be the 21st of December for express mail," Stobaugh said. 

Items sent to addresses in the contiguous United States (Lower 48 states): 

1. USPS Ground Advantage service: Dec. 18
2. First-Class Mail service: Dec. 18
3. Priority Mail service: Dec. 19
4. Priority Mail Express service: Dec. 21

Items sent to Addresses in Alaska and Hawaii: 

1. USPS Ground Advantage service: Dec. 16
2. First-Class Mail service: Dec. 18
3. Priority Mail service: Dec. 19
4. Priority Mail Express service: Dec. 20