Gifts To Deliver in Time for Christmas? Don't Miss These Deadlines

'Tis the season for giving, but if you want your cards, letters and gifts to arrive in time for Christmas, keep in mind shipping deadlines as reported by the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS.

This is the "seasonal peak of the year," according to UPS, which notes that it alone plans "to deliver more than 135 million packages around the world, culminating with 28 million deliveries on Thursday, Dec. 20, the busiest day of the holiday season."

Here's word from the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS, concerning what you need to know to make sure your gifts from the Greater Brandon area arrive in time to your intended recipients. (Click through to confirm the information noted below and for shipping tips and guidelines.)

U.S. Postal Service Shipping Deadlines

Calculated for December 25, 2012.

Domestic Mail Class/Product

Dates

First-Class Mail Service

Dec. 20

Priority Mail Service

Dec. 21

Express Mail Service

Dec. 22

Destination Network Distribution Center (DNDC) Drop Ship

Dec. 19

Destination Delivery Unit (DDU) Drop Ship

Dec. 21

The U.S. Postal Service office in Brandon is at 1315 Oakfield Drive. For more about holiday shipping, visit USPS.com.

FedEx Deadlines

FedEx Express and FedEx Ground will deliver Monday, Dec. 24. Use FedEx Ground Service Maps to determine the day-definite transit time of your FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery shipments. You can also find the delivery time and FedEx delivery choices for your U.S. and international shipments by using the Get Rates and Transit Times application at fedex.com. With FedEx SameDay service, you can ship on Christmas Day or any other day of the year. It's available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for your urgent shipments.

U.S. to U.S. Shipments
FedEx SameDay Dec. 25 FedEx First Overnight Dec. 22 FedEx Priority Overnight Dec. 22 FedEx Standard Overnight Dec. 22 FedEx 2Day A.M. Dec. 20 FedEx 2Day Dec. 20 Source: FedEx.com

FedEx Kinko's is now FedEx Office Print & Shop Center, at 11381 Causeway Blvd. in Brandon. In all, there are 75 FedEx locations near Brandon ZIP code 33511. For a listing, and a search by other ZIP codes, visit FedEx.com.

UPS Deadlines

The UPS 2012 holiday schedule notes that packages can be sent by air, international and ground by Dec. 20. UPS Next Day Air packages picked up on that day will arrive Friday, Dec. 21. UPS 2nd Day Air packages picked up that day will arrive Dec. 24. 

Here's what's noted:

Thursday, Dec. 20
Normal pickup and delivery service for air, international and ground packages. UPS Next Day Air packages picked up Thursday, Dec. 20 will arrive Friday, Dec. 21. UPS 2nd Day Air packages picked up Dec. 20 will arrive Monday, Dec. 24.

Friday, Dec. 21
Normal pickup and delivery service for air, international and ground packages. UPS Next Day Air packages picked up Friday, Dec. 21 will arrive Monday, Dec. 24. UPS 2nd Day Air packages picked up Dec. 21 will arrive Wednesday, Dec. 26.

Saturday, Dec. 22
Delivery of UPS Worldwide Express, UPS Next Day Air and UPS 2nd Day Air pack­ages processed and labeled for Saturday Delivery. Pickup service available for air and international packages only.

Monday, Dec. 24, Christmas Eve
Normal delivery service for air, international and ground packages. Pickup service provided to scheduled pickup account customers for air and international shipments if prearranged by Friday, Dec. 21. UPS On-Call Pickup service and all UPS Drop Boxes also are available for air and international packages to all customers.

Tuesday, Dec. 25, Christmas
No UPS pickup or delivery service. (UPS Express Critical service is available for urgent packages. Call 1-800-714-8779 or visit upsexpresscritical.com.)

There is a UPS Store at 235 West Brandon Blvd. in Brandon. For other nearby locations, visit the UPS Locator online.