Here are the deadlines for shipping your holiday packages

Mail carriers get busy around the holidays. If you’re shipping a gift to a loved one, you want to make sure it gets there in time. Here are the deadlines from three of the biggest mail carriers in the United States to make sure your friends and family get their gifts and cards in time for Christmas.

United States Postal Service (domestic, not including Alaska and Hawaii):

•    USPS Retail Ground: Dec. 14

•    First class mail: Dec. 20

•    Priority Mail: Dec. 20

•    Priority Mail Express: Dec. 22

For international and military shipping deadlines, visit the USPS website, as deadlines vary by destination.

UPS:

•    UPS 3 Day Select: Dec. 18 (for delivery on Dec. 24)

•    UPS 2nd Day Air: Dec. 20 (for delivery on Dec. 24

•    UPS Next Day Air: Dec. 21 (for delivery on Dec. 24)

A more detailed schedule is available at the UPS website.

FedEx:

•    FedEx SmartPost: Dec. 10

•    FedEx Home Delivery and FedEx Ground: Dec. 17 

•    FedEx Express Saver: Dec. 19

•    FedEx 2-Day and FedEx 2-day a.m.: Dec. 20

•    FedEx Standard Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight and FedEx First Overnight: Dec. 21

•    FedEx Same Day, FedEx SameDay City Priority and FedEx SameDay City Direct: Dec. 25  

More information, including details on shipping to Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada and other destinations, is available on the FedEx website.