Every carrier publishes its own recommended holiday shipping dates each autumn. Those official dates are the only ones to trust — this checklist covers everything around them.
Early November
- Look up the official holiday cut-off dates on each carrier's website as soon as they are published.
- Collect full addresses, including postal codes and apartment numbers.
- Ship anything going overseas first — international parcels have the earliest cut-offs.
Before you ship
- Use a sturdy box with cushioning; peak-season sorting is rough on parcels.
- Measure the box and check dimensional weight.
- For cross-border gifts, describe the contents clearly on the customs form.
After you ship
- Save every tracking number in one place — the ParcelPath tracker keeps a history in your browser.
- Watch carrier service advisories: winter storms delay whole regions.
- Expect longer gaps between scans than usual in December.