Time ticking down to get Christmas presents mailed out
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It's the most wonderful and busiest time of the year at the post office.
"I want to beat the rush, I don't want to have to wait until the last minute and be stressing out about it," said Mariah Austin of Clovis.
Customers came out to mail their Christmas gifts on December 14th, the first major deadline for the U.S. Postal Service. Post Master Doug Smith said this is a crazy time of year for employees.
"They start at 4:00 a.m. right now, they're out making deliveries. We have people making deliveries at 4:30 in the morning. We're trying to get them all off the streets by 6 o' clock at night right now."
Employees are hitting the street to deliver packages, knocking on your door to get you, your presents.
This year consumers spent a record amount and money of those online orders have been shipped around the country. The post office said they are seeing a 10-percent increase in the mail this year.
"Between Thanksgiving and New Year's nationally, we will deliver 850 packages. We'll deliver 200-million this week and 200-million next week," said Smith.
Carriers like Siobhan Ruiz said there are perks helping Santa.
"It's kind of like you're Santa Claus. Everyone's excited, kids are excited even though they can't open it yet."
Carriers could be delivering gifts up until Christmas Eve because of the postal rush.
Postal officials said December 20th is the recommended last day you send out those packages. They say December 22 is the last day, that's if you want it to arrive before Santa.
For more info on deadlines, click the links below:
