USPS Prepares For Holiday Shipping Rush

The United State Postal Service estimates nearly a billion packages will be sent for this upcoming holiday season.

According to the USPS, this time of the year is what they call their "Super Bowl,” and they have been planning for the holiday surge.

Nicole Stobaugh with the USPS says more staff is brought in to help with the overload, including clerks and carriers.

Christmas Day is still 18 days away, but some shipping deadlines are coming up.

1. December 17th is the deadline for all first-class cards and packages to be sent.
2. December 18th is the deadline for priority mail service items to be mailed.
3. December 23rd is the last day for all priority mail express items to be sent.

Despite the bigger workload, officials say they are ready and while there is still some time to get items mailed, they say it's always better to take care of it sooner than later.

"it is always better you always want to make sure that you get ahead of the game,” said Stobaugh. "As long as the customers mail by our recommended deadlines they should be perfectly fine.”

Officials say the easiest thing to do, to avoid delays, is check mailing labels to make sure addresses are right and to make sure return addresses are easy to read.