This is the 237th hear that USPS has been delivering the holidays.  Between Thanksgiving and Christmas they handle more than 15 billion pieces of mail.

"The holiday season is the busiest time of year for the Postal Service but we are prepared to deliver," says Baltimore District Manager Darryl Martin.

 During this holiday season, the Postal Service expects: 242 million customers to visit a Post Office. 29.5 million pounds of mail the Postal Service will process for overseas military installations. 37 million customer visits to usps.com during the holidays. 365 million packages during the month of December alone. "The Postal Service is making it easier to ship packages to family and friends this season," says Martin. "Proper addressing and proper packaging will help us give every gift the service it deserves."

The Postal Service offers free, environmentally friendly Priority Mail and Express Mail boxes and envelopes. These supplies can be ordered at usps.com or picked up at a local Post Office. "The best shipping value may be our Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes," says Martin. "No calculating of postage or weighing is needed. If it fits, it ships." "Save money on Priority and Express Mail prices when you mail online with Click-N-Ship," adds Martin. "The more you ship, the more you save. And when a package is ready to be shipped, log on to usps.com/pickup to schedule free package pickup from home or office. Skip the trip and do all of your shipping online." Helpful tips for preparing and addressing letters and packages: Print addresses clearly and include all address elements, such as apartment numbers and directional information (ex: 123 S Main St. Apt. 2B) Remove batteries from toys. Wrap and place them next to the toys in the mailing box. Customers should include the new batteries in the manufacturer’s packaging. Place a card inside the package that contains the delivery and return address. This ensures the safe return of an item that could not be delivered should the mailing label become damaged or fall off. Never guess a ZIP Code. NO ZIP is better than a WRONG ZIP. Include both "to" and "from" information on packages – and only on one side. Do NOT reuse mailing boxes – they weaken in the shipping process. Select a box that is strong enough to protect the contents. Priority Mail and Express Mail boxes are free at the local post office. Leave space for cushioning inside. Stuff glass and fragile, hollow items, like vases, with newspaper or packing material to avoid damage. When mailing framed photographs, take the glass out of the frame and wrap it separately.

The Postal Service recommends the following mail-by dates to ensure on time arrival: Dec. 10 — (Military) APO/FPO First-Class and Priority Mail Dec. 17 — (Military) APO/FPO Express Mail Dec. 20 — First-Class Mail Dec. 21 — Priority Mail. Express Mail delivery occurs on Christmas Day many metropolitan areas.  Dec. 22 is the mailing deadline to most locations.