Shipping tips and mailing dates for the holiday season

OTTAWA, Nov. 8, 2012 /CNW/ - Whether your loved ones are across the city or the world, Canada Post is ready to deliver the holiday season on time and at an affordable cost. With our network of almost 6,500 secure locations and over 65,000 employees, we will be tackling the busiest season of the year, processing almost 1 billion pieces of mail by the time Christmas rolls in. That's a lot of season's greetings!

As Canadians prepare to ship their gifts this season, we want to help ensure these important shipments arrive on time and intact. So we're providing our list of holiday mailing tips:

• Pack right.
  We don't mean to sound like Scrooges! But good packing prevents delays and damage. So…
• Use the right size box and centre your item.
• Wrap fragile items. Newspaper, bubble wrap or foam will protect them on their journey.
• Wrap your parcel in plain paper.
• Don't use string or twine - it can get caught in the processing machines.
• Make sure the address is written clearly and on the largest side of your parcel.

• Mark your calendar.
  To get your shipments to their destination before the big day, keep these deadlines in mind:
• In Canada: for cards, send locally by Dec. 17, within province by Dec. 18, out of province by Dec. 19; send parcels by Dec. 10.
• Mailing to the United States: send letters and cards by Dec. 14; parcels by Dec. 10.
• International shipping: deadlines vary depending on the region. In general, allow three weeks for cards - longer for some areas. Allow four weeks for parcels.
• If you miss a deadline don't panic! Our premium services offer shorter delivery times worldwide.

• Trust only the best delivery company with your holiday wishes.
  We believe that's us! Here's why:
• Every day, Canada Post employees travel 1.5 million km, delivering to 15 million addresses.
• Our distribution network is unrivalled in the country. We have almost 6,500 secure locations across Canada, and the majority (78%) of Canadians live within 2.5 km of a postal counter.
• During the holiday season, we will add even more people, trains, planes and delivery trucks to our operations to serve you, our customers.

For more information related to the holiday season, including a detailed list of suggested mailing deadlines and to view our amazing selection of holiday-themed stamps, please visit canadapost.ca/holidays or your local Canada Post outlet.

SOURCE Canada Post

Image with caption: "Canada Post is dressing up for the holidays. (CNW Group/Canada Post)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121108_C6332_PHOTO_EN_20383.jpg