Summary
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has shared the recommended mailing deadlines for the 2025 holiday season to help ensure deliveries arrive before Christmas. In addition to mailing deadlines, USPS has started the 2025 Operation Santa program, which allows volunteers to fulfill holiday wishes from letters addressed to Santa. The USPS has also introduced new Holiday Cheer Forever stamps.
Key Facts
- USPS advises sending holiday mail by December 17 for USPS Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail within the contiguous U.S.
- Priority Mail should be sent by December 18, and Priority Mail Express by December 20.
- For Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories, Ground Advantage mail deadlines are December 16, First-Class by December 17, Priority Mail by December 18, and Priority Mail Express by December 20.
- Operation Santa allows families to send letters to Santa and volunteers to fulfill requests, starting this year with a new option to adopt a "family letter."
- Letters must be sent to Operation Santa by December 6 to be eligible for adoption.
- Volunteers can shop from an online gift catalog starting November 17.
- The USPS introduced 2025 Holiday Cheer Forever stamps featuring traditional holiday images, sold in booklets of 20 for $15.60.
