With Thanksgiving over, many folks are beginning to concentrate on their holiday shopping. If gifts are being mailed overseas or to military personnel, the time to mail may come soon.

To be certain that holiday greeting cards and packages are received by Dec. 25, the U.S. Postal Service recommends mailing by the following dates.

Mail Addressed To	Global Express Guaranteed (GXG)1	Global Express Mail (GEM)2	Global Priority Mail (GPM)3	Global Airmail Letters & Cards	Global Airmail Parcel Post	Global Economy (Surface)
Africa	Dec 19	Dec 11	Dec 6	Dec 4	Dec 4	Oct 16
Asia/Pacific Rim	Dec 19	Dec 15	Dec 13	Dec 11	Dec 11	Oct 30
Australia/New Zealand	Dec 19	Dec 15	Dec 13	Dec 11	Dec 11	Oct 30
Canada	Dec 20	Dec 16	Dec 13	Dec 11	Dec 11	Nov 27
Caribbean	Dec 19	Dec 15	Dec 13	Dec 11	Dec 11	Nov 6
Central & So. America	Dec 19	Dec 11	Dec 4	Dec 4	Dec 4	Oct 30
Mexico	Dec 19	Dec 15	Dec 13	Dec 11	Dec 11	Nov 20
Europe	Dec 19	Dec 15	Dec 13	Dec 11	Dec 11	Nov 6
Middle East	Dec 19	Dec 15	Dec 13	Dec 11	Dec 11	Oct. 23

¹ GXG: Global Express Guaranteed is available to over 190 countries via a partnership with Federal Express. See a retail associate at participating locations for a complete list of countries and money-back guarantee details. Some restrictions apply.
² GEM: Global Express Mail is available to over 190 countries with delivery in 3 to 5 business days. See a retail associate at participating locations for a complete list of countries. Some restrictions apply.
³ GPM: Global Priority Mail is an accelerated airmail service available for items up to 4 pounds to 51 countries. The service is available in two attractive-sized envelopes. Customers can also use their own packaging by adding the Global Priority Mail sticker. See a retail associate at participating locations for a complete list of countries. Some restrictions apply.

Military Address Tips

• Use the service member's full name (with or without rank or rating), military organization or unit, and APO/FPO address.
• Do not include the country name in any part of the address.0
• Programs that allowed the general public to send mail addressed to "Any Service Member" are no longer available.

International Addressing Tips

• Place the city or town name and the province or state name on the next line after the street address information.
• Put foreign postal codes, if known, in front of the city or town name and on the same line.
• Write the name of the foreign country in capital letters on the last line of the address.

USPS Packaging Tips

• Select a box that is strong enough to protect the contents.
• Leave space for cushioning inside the carton.
• Cushion package contents with shredded or rolled newspaper, bubble wrap, or Styrofoam peanuts. Plain air-popped popcorn is also good for cushioning; it's inexpensive and environmentally friendly. Pack tightly to avoid shifting.
• Always use tape that is designed for shipping, such as pressure-sensitive tape, nylon-reinforced craft paper tape, or glass-reinforced pressure-sensitive tape.
• Do not use wrapping paper, string, masking tape, or cellophane tape.
• Put the delivery and return addresses on one side only of the package.
• Suggestion: Place a return address label inside the package.
• Stuff glass and fragile hollow items, like vases, with newspaper or packing material to avoid damage due to shock. When mailing framed photographs, take the glass out of the frame and wrap it separately.
• Remove batteries from toys. Wrap and place them next to the toys in the mailing box.
• Take packages that weigh at least one pound into the post office for mailing.
• Purchase packaging products, including tape, envelopes, padded bags, corrugated boxes, mailing tubes, and cushioning material from your post office. Some locations offer decorative boxes and expander packs that are suitable for mailing gifts.

Special Section: Get In The Holiday Spirit