While finishing up your Christmas gift shopping, it’s important to know when to send your packages so they arrive on time. 

The United States Postal Service says the recommended date to arrive before December 25th is December 15th for retail ground service, December 17th for first class mail service, December 18th for priority mail service and December 23rd for priority mail express for the 48 contiguous states. 

USPS recommends people ship their packages as soon as possible to ensure delivery before Christmas. 

For a full list of shipping dates including for Alaska and Hawaii, military mail and international shipping you can go here.