Postal Service adding holiday delivery hours

With Christmas less than two weeks away, the U.S. Postal Service is adding hours to its delivery schedules.

Customers will start seeing postal employees delivering packages earlier in the morning, later in the evening and on Sundays.

“We ask customers who are expecting a package to please turn on their porch light so our letter carriers can deliver safely,” Jefferson City Postmaster Krystal Drone said in a news release.

With the increase in early and online shopping for gifts, there no longer is a “busiest day” for holiday shipping, she said. The Postal Service predicts next week, Dec. 18-24, will be the busiest mailing, shipping and delivery week.

Officials estimate the Postal Service alone will process and deliver nearly 3 billion pieces of First Class Mail, including greeting cards.

The Postal Service also is projecting about 15 billion pieces of mail, including more than 850 million packages, will have been delivered during the period that began with Thanksgiving and ends Dec. 31.

A full list of deadlines, pricing and shipping tips is available at usps.com/holidaynews.

Domestic Services “mail-by dates” include:

• Thursday for USPS Retail Ground

• Saturday for First Class packages, up to 15.99 ounces

• Dec. 19 for First Class Mail (including greeting cards)

• Dec. 20 for Priority Mail

• Dec. 22 for Priority Mail Express.