Is the Mail Running Today? Guide For 2024

The holiday season always brings up an important question – is the mail running today? With postal service holidays, weekend closures, and more, mail delivery can get complicated around the holidays. To help you keep tabs on your packages and mail during the festive weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and other 2024 holidays, this definitive guide covers everything you need to know, including:

• When mail and package delivery is suspended for USPS holidays
• Whether post offices are open or closed
• The holiday shipping schedules for USPS, FedEx and UPS
• How to buy stamps and ship packages when post offices are closed
• Tips for checking your local post office hours
• How postal holidays affect Amazon orders and other deliveries
• Key specifics around MLK Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, and other 2024 holidays

So grab some hot cocoa, and let’s dive into the world of holiday mail!

When is Mail Not Delivered Due to USPS Holidays?

The United States Postal Service (USPS) observes 11 official holidays every calendar year. On these days, regular USPS mail delivery comes to a halt, post offices close up shop, and those iconic blue mailboxes remain locked and empty.

The postal holidays for 2024 are:

2024

• January 1 – New Year’s Day
• January 15 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• February 19 – Presidents’ Day
• May 27 – Memorial Day
• June 19 – Juneteenth
• July 4 – Independence Day
• September 2 – Labor Day
• October 14 – Columbus Day
• November 11 – Veterans Day
• November 28 – Thanksgiving Day
• December 25 – Christmas Day

No regular first class mail, standard mail, or package delivery happens on these federal holidays. So if you’re waiting for important correspondence around MLK Day, Presidents Day, July 4th or the December holidays, you’ll need to wait an extra day.

However, there is one key exception – USPS Express Mail deliveries continue 365 days a year, even on holidays for most ZIP codes. So if you absolutely need something delivered on Christmas, you can pay for the expedited Express Mail service.

But for everything else – birthday cards, bill payments, prescriptions, online shopping purchases, care packages from Grandma – you’ll have to curb your impatience for an extra 24 hours!

Are Post Offices Open or Closed on Holidays?

On all federal postal holidays, USPS post offices are closed across the country. So don’t make the trip to your local branch on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day and expect to find it open!

Some post office locations do offer Sunday hours from 9am – 4pm. But on the 10 federal holidays, all postal services – including counter service, box lobby access, mail drop off and collection – are completely suspended.

You also won’t find access to those iconic blue USPS collection boxes on holidays. The boxes are sealed up tight until the next scheduled collection day.

If you need some postal services on a 2024 holiday, your only option is USPS.com. The Postal Service website remains open 24/7 year round. There, you can:

• Print shipping labels
• Schedule package pickups
• Order mail supplies like boxes
• Reload your postage account
• Submit mail holder and forward requests
• Purchase stamps

So even when your local post office is closed up tight, you can still access some key mailing solutions online.

Will My Package from FedEx or UPS Arrive on a Postal Holiday?

While the United States Postal Service sets the schedule for federal holiday closures, private shipping companies like FedEx and UPS establish their own holiday calendars. And they tend to remain at least partially operational on some federal holiday dates.

FedEx 2024 Holiday Schedules

FedEx services continue uninterrupted on MLK Day, Presidents Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day and Independence Day. On these dates, regular FedEx delivery operates on a normal schedule.

The company observes modified service on Memorial Day, Labor Day, and the day after Thanksgiving. Certain FedEx Express and FedEx Ground services have limited operations or shut down completely. Check FedEx’s 2024 holiday schedules closer to each event for specifics.

FedEx Office locations remain open every federal holiday besides Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. You can stop into stores for printing, shipping and package pickups 365 days a year otherwise.

UPS 2024 Holiday Schedules

UPS has more extensive holiday closures than FedEx. The carrier shuts down all operations on New Years Day, MLK Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. No pickups, deliveries or UPS Store services are available.

The company does maintain UPS Express Critical service on all seven holidays though. So if you must make a truly urgent shipment on July 4th or Thanksgiving, that option exists for a premium rate.

UPS Store locations have discretion over whether they remain open on federal holidays. It’s best to check your neighborhood location for their unique holiday hours before stopping in.

So in summary: If your holiday package is coming via FedEx, chances are reasonably good it will arrive despite the federal holiday. UPS services likely halt completely unless you use/pay for UPS Express Critical. And USPS packages outside Express Mail sit patiently in their warehouses for an extra day before continuing their journey.

What if a Holiday Falls on a Weekend?

Postal holidays occasionally fall on weekend days rather than weekdays. When that happens, the impact on mail delivery gets a bit muddled.

USPS always suspends service on Sundays anyway. So when Independence Day, Veterans Day or Christmas happen over a Saturday, mail delivery continues as normal. USPS holiday rules simply don’t come into play.

But if a postal holiday happens on a Sunday, USPS moves the date for suspended service to the following Monday. For example:

• New Years Day 2024 = Sunday, January 1 = No mail delivery on Monday, January 2 instead

This delays that week’s mail delivery schedule by just a single day. Priority Mail Express packages still arrive on the actual Sunday holiday. Everything else gets bumped to Tuesday rather than Monday.

FedEx and UPS also shift their holiday observance days around based on calendar quirks and weekends. Visit their websites annually to confirm specific holiday closure dates that affect your deliveries.

Where Can I Buy Stamps if Post Offices Are Closed?

Despite postal holiday closures, you may still need to mail letters, cards or small packages. When the blue USPS boxes and local branches lock up on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day, how do you get the postage stamps you need?

Luckily, there are plenty of alternative stamp sellers outside your neighborhood post office. As you handle holiday correspondence, try these options:

• Local supermarkets – Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons and other grocery store chains sell Forever Stamps at regular prices.
• Pharmacies – CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid often have self-service stamp kiosks in store for convenience.
• Office supply stores – Staples, Office Depot/OfficeMax and regional chains stock booklets of USPS stamps.
• ATMs – Some bank ATMs dispense booklets of stamps along with cash.
• Online – Order sheets of stamps for your home/office from USPS.com, Stamps.com, Amazon, and eBay.

The week of Christmas, call ahead to confirm your local retailers have holiday postage in stock before venturing out. But one way or another, buying stamps without the post office should be achievable.

How Do I Send Mail If Post Offices Are Closed on a Holiday?

Getting your holiday cards, gift returns, and urgent documents shipped despite USPS holiday closures takes some planning. But you have solutions!

USPS Blue Collection Boxes

Look up USPS Collection Boxes in your area using the postal service locator tool. These large blue mailboxes sit along street corners and outside post office buildings.

On holidays, letter carriers continue to empty most collection boxes on their regular pick-up routes. Simply ensure your stamped envelopes and packages arrive before the final pick-up time. Include a return address in case of any delivery issues.

USPS Scheduled Pickup

Schedule free package pickups from your home or office, even on postal holidays. Select your collection date and location during checkout. USPS drivers will still make daily rounds to grab pre-labeled mail despite closures.

FedEx Drop-Off

Both FedEx Office Print & Ship centers and FedEx Drop Boxes have 24/7 access in most areas. With FedEx Home Delivery, schedule a holiday pickup from your house for just $5 per package.

The UPS Store

The UPS Store keeps normal business hours on most federal holidays. Take your pre-packed shipments to local branches for drop-off when post offices close. There are over 5,000 UPS Store locations nationwide.

UPS Access Point

Through the UPS Access Point network, you can redirect deliveries to secure locations like CVS Pharmacy, Michaels, and Advance Auto Parts. Find Access Points open on holidays to get your shipments sent.

How Can I Check if My Local Post Office is Open Today?

Wondering, “Is my post office open right now?” You have a few options to check:

Google Search

Run a Google search for your city, state + “post office hours”. Listings show current and holiday hours.

USPS Post Office Locator

On USPS Office Locator, enter your ZIP code. It provides phone numbers and opening times.

Facebook

Many local post office branches maintain Facebook pages detailing their schedules. Social media announcements flag holiday closures too.

Phone Calling

As a last resort, call your post office. Listen to voicemail messages or prompts listing operating times.

When is the 2024 Mail and Package Holiday Schedule?

Wondering when precisely you’ll need to work around postal holidays over the next couple of years?

Here are the remaining USPS holiday dates requiring mail and package delivery adjustments:

2024 Postal Holidays

• Monday 1/1 – New Year’s Day
• Monday 1/15 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Monday 2/19 – Presidents’ Day
• Monday 5/27 – Memorial Day
• Wednesday 6/19 – Juneteenth
• Thursday 7/4 – Independence Day
• Monday 9/2 – Labor Day
• Monday 10/14 – Columbus Day
• Monday 11/11 – Veterans Day
• Thursday 11/28 – Thanksgiving
• Wed 12/25 – Christmas Day

Use this schedule over the next year or two to plan critical package shipments and expectations around holidays. Note when mail delivery disruptions will happen to avoid headaches!

How Do Postal Holidays Impact My Amazon Orders and Other Deliveries?

Online retailers like Amazon plan inventory management, order fulfilment, and delivery routes around holidays too. But unusually high order volumes combined with USPS, UPS and FedEx closures can still throw off your package ETAs.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Order early – Beat the holiday order rush by making Amazon purchases 7-10 days pre-holiday for items you need immediately
• Review carrier specifics – Check which shipping company is fulfilling your order and how their holiday policy impacts delivery
• Utilize Amazon Lockers – Redirect packages to secure self-service kiosks available 24/7
• Check tracking frequently – Monitoring your package’s status identifies any weather/holiday delays promptly
• Allow extra transit days – Add 2-4 days to estimated arrival times around Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.
• Use Prime properly – Two-day Prime shipping commences once Amazon hands off your package to the shipping partner

Building some slack into your ordering timeline makes a holiday parcel disruption less of a hassle!

What’s Open and Closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2024?

Monday, January 15, 2024 marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day – the first USPS holiday of the year.

Is mail delivered on MLK Day?

No. USPS suspends regular first class mail, marketing mail, and package delivery for the holiday as always. Post offices also close on January 15, 2024.

However, you CAN still count on:

• FedEx – FedEx delivers normal services on MLK Day except FedEx Express/Ground Economy
• UPS – CLOSED except UPS Express Critical services
• USPS Express Mail – Express priority parcels operate as usual
• FedEx Office – Locations stay open regular hours
• USPS.com – Order supplies, print labels, manage your PO Box, buy stamps
• Blue collection boxes – Most get emptied by USPS letter carriers
• Store/ATM stamp sales – Get postage from grocery stores, Walgreens, Staples, etc.
• Mailbox pickups – Scheduled USPS pickups continue through holidays

So you have mailing and shipping solutions despite MLK Day post office closures.

Conclusion

Trying to ship holiday gifts or make returns when the post office is closed can definitely test your patience! But being aware of the 2024 postal holiday schedule, UPS and FedEx exceptions, online shipping options, and more ensures you stay calm and carry on.

Now you know exactly when mail takes a holiday over the coming year or two. And how to work around any USPS closed doors or blue mailbox shutdowns during crunch times!

Whether it’s planning your holiday greeting card mailings or coordinating package delivery around Thanksgiving dinner, you’ve got inside information making postal holidays less disruptive. Now get out there are spread some holiday cheer through snail mail!