HOLIDAY MAIL: December’s here, folks. Now people are planning their Christmases in earnest.
If you want to send gifts to loved ones who are out of the area, the U.S. Postal Service has recommended dates to mail packages by to get them to their destinations by Dec. 25.
For Priority Mail Express International or Standard Post, have packages out by Dec. 15. First-Class Mail should be out by Dec. 20, and Global Express Guaranteed and Priority Mail should be on its way by Dec. 21. Have priority Mail Express out by Dec. 23.
The dates are a little sooner if you’re mailing items to loved ones in the military.
APO/FPO First-Class Mail Letters and Cards and APO/FPO Priority should be mailed by Dec. 9. For APO/FPO Priority Mail Express Military Service, have mail ready by Dec. 16.
To make sure your packages make it in one piece, the Postal Service recommends cushioning the item and wrapping fragile items with newspaper or packing material before putting it in a sturdy box and taping it tightly shut. Put wrapped gifts inside a larger box, and tape batteries out of electronics. Putting an extra shipping label in the box means it can be returned if the box gets damaged.
Print addresses neatly in capital letters, and make sure you have the correct ZIP code. Label fragile items on the box.
Altogether, the Postal Service is predicting it will handle about 16 billion letters, cards and packages this season.
ROSA PARKS: Decades after one simple act, a woman bus rider continues to captivate a nation.
It was Dec. 1, 1955, that Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a public bus. Now, 61 years later, her name continues to stand for someone who stood up not only for herself but for a movement.
