Many residents having post office box numbers have received notices that letters flats and parcels will need to have the PO Box number provided or items addressed to only the street address will be returned. Since some orders placed online will not ship to a post office box and won’t accept both the street address and the PO Box I placed a call to the Rockford Carrier Annex. Thankfully I learned there is a way around this problem. Simply offer the street address followed with box # ____.
DO NOT USE PO in front of the word box or it will still be kicked out of the system. The post office will recognize the box to route an item to if this suggestion is followed. 

Kathy Bremmer
City of Cedar Springs

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The Postal Service handles millions of packages each year during the holiday season.

The U.S. Postal Service will deliver more than 15 billion pieces of mail this holiday season. That includes 850 million packages, which is more than a 10 percent increase compared to the same period last year. 

“The Postal Service is well prepared to meet our customers’ needs during the holiday season, especially as demand for package deliveries continues to grow,” said Megan J. Brennan, Postmaster General and CEO. 

The Postal Service will be expanding its Sunday delivery operations to locations with high package volumes beginning Nov. 26. The Postal Service already delivers packages on Sundays in most major cities, and anticipates delivering more than 6 million packages on Sundays this December. Mail carriers will also deliver packages on Christmas Day in select locations. 

 “America relies on the Postal Service and our 640,000 dedicated employees to deliver the holidays,” said Brennan. “We take great pride in our holiday readiness and preparation, and in our ability to offer reliable, predictable and affordable service in every community in America.” 

Busiest Mailing and Delivery Days 

With an increase in early and online shopping for gifts, there is no longer a “busiest day” for holiday shipping. Instead, the Postal Service’s busiest time is now two weeks before Christmas. Starting the week of Dec. 11, customer traffic is expected to increase, with the week of Dec. 18 – 24 predicted to be the busiest mailing, shipping, and delivery week. During this week, nearly 3 billion pieces of First Class Mail, including greeting cards, will be processed and delivered. The Postal Service also expects to deliver nearly 200 million packages per week during these two weeks. 

Skip the Trip and Ship Online 

While there may not be a busiest day for shipping this year, the Postal Service anticipates that Dec. 18 will be the Postal Service’s busiest day online with more than 7 million customers predicted to visit usps.com for help shipping that special holiday gift. Customers can avoid holiday hassles by visiting usps.com—the Postal Service’s website that helps make mailing and shipping easier than ever. Millions of customers will skip the trip to the Post Office altogether and take advantage of convenient online shipping this holiday season. Click-N-Ship and other online services allow customers to order free Priority Mail boxes, print shipping labels, purchase postage and even request free next-day Package Pickup from the mail carrier. And usps.com is always open. 

The Postal Service offers a new feature this year to help you track and schedule package delivery. Our Informed Delivery tool not only allows you to see your incoming mail and packages, it also allows you to reschedule delivery of your packages to ensure you’re able to be home to receive them. 

2017 Holiday Shipping Deadlines 

The Postal Service recommends the following mailing and shipping deadlines: 

• Nov. 6 – APO/FPO/DPO USPS Retail Ground 
• Dec. 11 – APO/FPO/DPO Priority Mail & First Class Mail 
• Dec. 14 – USPS Retail Ground 
• Dec. 15 – Hawaii to Mainland Priority Mail & First Class 
• Dec. 16 – APO/FPO/DPO USPS Priority Mail Express 
• Dec. 16 – First Class Packages (up to 15.99 ounces) 
• Dec. 19 – First Class Mail (including greeting cards) 
• Dec. 20 – Priority Mail 
• Dec. 20 – Hawaii to Mainland Priority Mail Express 
• Dec. 20 – Alaska to Mainland Priority Mail & First Class 
• Dec. 21 – Alaska to Mainland Priority Mail Express 
• Dec. 22 – Priority Mail Express 

Additional news and information, including all domestic, international and military mailing and shipping deadlines, can be found at the Postal Service Holiday Newsroom at usps.com/holidaynews. 

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Photo courtesy of Getty images

Family Features

The holidays are supposed to be filled with love and good cheer, but the logistics of shopping for gifts, sending out cards, taking family trips and shipping packages can leave even the jolliest of people in a Scrooge-like mood.
Fortunately, there are some ways you can take the hassle out of the holidays and make them a little brighter for yourself and those around you.

Shop Smart

Avoid long lines, crowded parking lots and out-of-stock items with these helpful hints:
Get Ready — Before you head out to the mall, make a list of the gifts you want to buy and do some online price comparison. Use sites like BizRate, DealTime or Shopzilla, as well as check local ads to find the best price. You may want to call your local store to see if they have your item in stock, saving yourself a trip if they don’t have it.
Shop Early — Plan to shop early in the day, and early in the season. Morning crowds tend to be lighter and sales assistants tend to be more attentive first thing. And the earlier in the season you shop, the less you have to deal with long lines and frustrated shoppers. Plus, this year, while there are 29 shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, there are only 20 shipping days.
Wrap It Up — Pay a little extra and let a charity group at the store wrap your gifts for you. This saves you time later and frees you up to get other things done — and you help a good cause.

No-Hassle Holiday Packing

Make sure your carefully chosen gifts get to their destinations intact with these helpful tips:
DO
—Check with experts before shipping fragile items (or items that might be considered hazardous or illegal to ship, such as perfume or cologne).
—Use materials the professionals use — foam packaging peanuts, bubble cushioning and packaging tape — to protect your gifts.
—Include a label on the inside of the package with both the destination and return addresses.
—Use a shipping option which provides a package-tracking number.
—Take batteries out of toys, electronics, etc., before shipping.
—Ship wrapped presents ahead to your destination, especially if traveling by air.
DON’T
—Wrap boxes in brown paper or tie with string.
—Use materials like newspaper or real popcorn to cushion items.
—Use old boxes or gift boxes for shipping items.
—Use duct tape, masking tape or cellophane tape to seal your boxes for shipping.

If you are not sure what size packaging to use, check with the experts. Copies Plus is a local UPS shipper in Cedar Springs, and owner Dan Spitzbergen has experience in shipping all kinds of goods. “We all like to send favorite foods and other goodies to our friends and family that live far away, and sometimes it takes odd size packaging,” noted Spitzbergen. “Don’t be afraid to come in and ask questions. We’ll work with you on what containers work best.”

Don’t Lug Your Luggage

Navigating airport security, crowded terminals and long check-in lines can be stressful enough. Add luggage and gifts into the holiday travel mix and things can get really unpleasant. One solution travelers are turning to is shipping luggage to their destinations.
“Traveling without a suitcase is a tremendous convenience, especially during the hectic holiday travel season. Having your luggage awaiting your arrival and tracking it along the way is even better,” said Bryan Vial, The UPS Store franchisee from Phoenix, Ariz. “Ship your luggage as is or place it in a box for shipment. Or, at select locations, you can purchase a luggage box and avoid a suitcase altogether.”
Some major airline baggage fees can add up to over $100. Vial says that a luggage box of comparable size shipped via UPS Ground service is competitively priced and saves you time and hassle at the airport. If you are a member of the Automobile Association of America, you can receive a 15 percent discount off the full retail price of eligible products and services, and 5 percent off domestic U.S. shipping costs.
Luggage Shipping Tips
—Because of the duties and taxes associated with international shipments, The UPS Store does not recommend shipping luggage internationally.
—Federal Aviation Administration restrictions prohibit shipping hazardous materials, including colognes and perfumes, aerosol sprays, nail polish and cigarette lighters via air.
—Include packaging tape and a return shipping label in the luggage box for use when returning home.