Iowa, Illinois Christmas Shipping Deadlines Announced For 2025

It's November but it's still time to get things done.

Maybe this year will finally be the year we don't procrastinate getting and mailing Christmas gifts. Maybe.

USPS, UPS, and FedEx have announced their shipping deadlines for this year to ensure your gift gets to your loved one in time for December 25th. And as they say simply: the earlier you can ship, the better.

USPS

USPS' recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before December 25th are as follows:

• Dec. 17: USPS Ground Advantage Service
• Dec. 17: First Class Mail
• Dec. 18: Priority Mail
• Dec. 20: Priority Mail Express Service

If you're sending something to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. territories, the latest you can send it via USPS Ground is Dec. 16th.

UPS

UPS has a calculator you can use to determine the latest you can send something via UPS Ground, depending on where it's going. But their deadlines look like this:

• Dec. 19: 3 Day Select
• Dec. 22: 2nd Day Air
• Dec. 23: Next Day Air

UPS won't pickup or deliver mail on Christmas Day.

FedEx

FedEx's holiday deadlines are these:

• Dec. 15: Ground Economy
• Dec. 17: Ground & Home Delivery (5 day transit)
• Dec. 18: Ground & Home Delivery (4 day transit)
• Dec. 19: Ground & Home Delivery (3 day transit)
• Dec. 20: Express Saver
• Dec. 22: Ground & Home Delivery (2 day transit)
• Dec. 22: 2Day & 2Day AM
• Dec. 23: First Overnight, Priority Overnight, Standard Overnight, Extra Hours
• Dec. 24: Same Day Delivery

And again, many mail carriers recommend shipping your Christmas gifts the earlier the better. Plus, that's one thing off your plate around the already busy holidays.