Holiday tip: ship early

Staff

Published Monday, November 28, 2005

By Jennifer Rogers, Tribune staff writer

The adage the early bird gets the worm is true for many things during the holiday season: cooking the Thanksgiving turkey, getting Christmas shopping done before the holiday shopping rush and shipping all holiday packages before lines at the post office are out the door.

“Always mail early,” said Dave Brackey, a sales associate at the Albert Lea Post Office. “I do believe people, through the years, have realized that once they get their packages shipped they can enjoy the holiday season.”

Brackey and Postmaster Florence Welch estimate their busiest day for shipping will be Monday, Dec. 12.

“I think that gives people enough time to shop and they are ready to ship packages by then,” Brackey said.

Plus, mailing early means people can safely choose standard shipping over priority mail or express mail because there is enough time to get the packages to their destinations.

“For anyone that comes in a week later we only recommend priority mail or express mail because it is getting really close to the holiday,” Brackey said.

“The rates between priority mail and standard shipping are not that different, but the best value is priority mail,” Welch said. “If people do chose priority mail or express we furnish the boxes for free and then for their convenience we do have other shipping supplies available.”

Insurance, tracking services, and delivery confirmation can also be purchased.

Another option new this season offers people the ability to ship directly from their homes. By visiting the post office's Web site, www.usps.com, people can get packaging materials, calculate postage, print shipping labels and by calling 1-800-275-8777 can schedule for your packages to be picked up.

“You can do everything you would do at the post office from your own home thanks to the Web site,” said Welch.

International shipping dates are different than domestic and in order to guarantee delivery many deadlines are up the first week of December. A complete list of international mailing dates is available at the post office.

The post office, located on Newton Avenue. Window service at the post office is Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10:45. Lobby hours are Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 5 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

(Contact Jennifer Rogers at jennifer.rogers@albertleatribune.com or at 379-3439.)

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