After the shopping is done, then comes the shipping.
The winter holidays are the most hectic time of the year for package deliveries, but United Parcel Service has provided a list of shipping tips to make your gift delivery experience worry-free.
First, mark your calendars for your delivery company’s holiday shipping deadline and plan accordingly. Most shippers provide an online schedule. The UPS holiday calendar can be accessed here.
Procrastinators — and you know who you are — please note that the last day to ship with UPS for on-time Christmas delivery is December 22, using Next Day Air services with the Saturday Delivery option.
Second, pack and label your items appropriately. Use a sturdy box and seal it with strong packing tape. Avoid using string or wrapping paper on the outer shipping box. When shipping multiple items in the same box, wrap each one individually and pack tightly with cushioning material between them so the items do not shift in transit.
Next, make sure the address label is legible and completely filled out, and then check it twice, just like Santa would want you to do. Add a duplicate shipping label inside the box before closing it up, for good measure. Include apartment numbers, as needed, and add the receiver’s phone number as well as the phone number of the person sending the package.
Before handing your package off to the shipper, be sure to download the company’s tracking app to view details of your shipment, receive delivery alerts and photos, view the estimated time for delivery, and more. Users can add gate codes and special instructions for the delivery driver via the UPS Mobile App, which you can download here.
And finally, if you are expecting to receive a package — or even if you are not — take a moment and give a thought to the delivery drivers who are working from the first light of day until late in the evening to get the job done. Leave a clean walking path to your door, free of scooters, bikes, toys, and other tripping hazards, and leave the porch light on after dark.
If you have a pet, ask the driver to wait while you put your dog in another room, as excited pets can sometimes mistake brown-uniformed delivery persons for teething biscuits, reportedly.
Also — don’t allow packages to sit on your doorstep, creating opportunities for thieves; bring them into your home as soon as possible. (The packages, not the thieves.)
When driving around town, give delivery trucks plenty of space, and exercise caution when maneuvering around a parked delivery vehicle in a residential area.
Oh, and one last thing: Give yourself the gift of up to 50% off the cost of shipping by using the promo code DELIVER at UPS.com.
