Time is running out for anyone mailing Christmas presents to the mainland, and the holiday season rush is in full swing at the Lihue post office.
A steady stream of people flowed through the post office on Rice Street Tuesday afternoon, with residents preparing presents to ship to family on other islands or in the mainland.
“This is it!” said Emery Remata.
He stood behind the counter at his service window, unfolding a booklet of 50-cent stamps to show a customer this year’s holiday-themed selection.
The U.S. Postal Service issues postage for Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Lunar New Year and several different flavors of Christmas, including a Virgin Mary stamp for the Christians and poinsettia postage for the noncommittal.
Remata’s customer bought a book of Santa stamps and turned to shuffle out the door, past customers carrying half-packaged boxes they just unloaded from cars left idling at the curb.
Tiara Wade walked in with a cardboard box filled with gifts wrapped in silver paper and tied with candy-cane-striped ribbon. She’s sending them to family on the mainland.
When asked if she thinks her presents will get to her family by Christmas, Wade said, “It’s still a couple weeks. Today’s the 11th, yeah? So I think I’ll make it.”
She thought a couple seconds, and then, laughing, she shrugged, “And if not … oh well.”
The USPS is advising Hawaiian residents to send their letters, cards and packages by Monday, Dec. 17 for first-class and priority mail that needs to get to the mainland in time for the holidays.
Procrastinators can pay extra for priority express mail and wait until Thursday, Dec. 20.
Parcels only going as far as the other Hawaiian islands can be shipped out as late as Friday, Dec. 21 — or by Saturday, Dec. 22 for priority express mail.
Moving massive amounts of mail
• The U.S. Postal Service expects to process and deliver nearly 16 billion pieces of mail and 900 million packages between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day;
• The week of Dec. 17-23 (next week) is predicted to be the busiest mailing, shipping and delivery week. More than 2 billion pieces of first-class mail, including greeting cards, will be processed and delivered that week;
• Nearly 200 million packages will be delivered during that busiest week — that works out to about 29 million packages delivered a day;
• Nearly 105 million customers will visit USPS.com between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day;
• More than 3 million customers are expected to use USPS’s Click-N-Ship online application during the holidays to pay for postage and print out their shipping labels from the convenience of their homes or offices.
