Shipping something for the holidays? Know Idaho’s deadlines for mailing cards, packages

With 800 million package deliveries expected between now and Christmas, the U.S. Postal Service is gearing up for a busy holiday season.

Beginning Sunday, Dec. 9, seven southern Idaho post offices will extend retail hours every Saturday before Christmas for customers.

Locations with extended Saturday retail hours:

• Boise Main 770 S. 13th St. – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Boise Five Mile 1350 S. Five Mile Rd. – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Caldwell 832 Arthur St. – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Meridian 1200 N. Main St. – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Pocatello Main 730 E. Clark St. – 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Twin Falls Pioneer 1376 Fillmore St. – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Nampa Post Office 123 11th Ave. S. – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Nampa Sunday Dutch Door Package Pick up will be available at the Nampa Carrier Annex 820 Park Centre Way – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday before Christmas)

To prepare for the busy season, Idaho post offices hired more than 100 employees, began delivering packages seven days a week and expanded delivery windows for packages to include early mornings and evenings, USPS District Manager Laura Hubrich said in a press release.

“Our goal is to provide excellent service and ensure all those holiday cards and packages are delivered in time,” Hubrich said in the release.

The offices will also open a dutch door every Sunday before Christmas from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for customers to pick up notified mail or packages which couldn’t be delivered on the first attempt.

Customers are also encouraged to keep in mind the following deadlines for deliveries before Dec. 25:

Holiday military shipping deadlines

· Dec. 9 – Priority mail and first-class mail to military addresses in Iraq and Afghanistan

· Dec. 11 – Priority mail and first-class mail to all other military addresses

· Dec. 18 – USPS priority mail express to military addresses (except Iraq and Afghanistan)

International shipping deadline

· Nov. 30 – Priority mail international to Africa, Central and South America

· Dec. 7 – Priority mail international to all other countries

· Dec. 7 – Priority mail express international to Africa, Central and South America

· Dec. 14 – Priority mail express international to all other countries

· Dec. 18 to 19 – Global express guaranteed depending on country

Domestic shipping deadlines

· Dec. 14 – USPS retail ground

· Dec. 20 – First-class mail and packages

· Dec. 21 – Priority mail

· Dec. 23 – Priority mail express

This story was originally published December 6, 2019 at 5:15 AM.