Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2026 and Harford County Post Offices

by Josh Tessier

To get a gift there by Christmas in 2026, mail it with USPS Ground Advantage or First-Class Mail by Thursday, Dec. 17, Priority Mail by Friday, Dec. 18, or Priority Mail Express by Saturday, Dec. 19. FedEx Ground runs Dec. 17 to Dec. 23 depending on transit time. UPS dates depend on the service and route, so check your ZIP codes.

Below are the dates, plus 10 of the main Harford County post offices with their hours.

What are the USPS holiday shipping deadlines for 2026?

From the USPS 2026 holiday shipping page, for delivery by Dec. 25 in the lower 48 states:

USPS service	Send by
Ground Advantage	Thursday, Dec. 17
First-Class Mail (cards, letters)	Thursday, Dec. 17
Priority Mail	Friday, Dec. 18
Priority Mail Express	Saturday, Dec. 19

Shipping overseas? Most international USPS services are Wednesday, Dec. 9. Priority Mail Express International is Wednesday, Dec. 16. Sending to Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico? Ground Advantage takes 10 days or more, so use the USPS service lookup with your ZIP codes.

Hanukkah is early this year (Dec. 4 to 12), USPS notes, so send those gifts sooner.

What are the UPS and FedEx deadlines for Christmas 2026?

Both carriers plan around delivery by Thursday, Dec. 24.

Service	Last day to ship
UPS (all services)	Depends on service and route. Check UPS Calculate Time and Cost
FedEx Ground and Home Delivery	Dec. 17 (5-day transit) to Dec. 23 (1-day transit)

The UPS 2026 holiday schedule says your last day to ship for Dec. 24 delivery depends on the service, where the box starts and where it's going, and points you to Calculate Time and Cost. FedEx dates come from the FedEx 2026 last days to ship PDF, which lists more Express services. Confirm before you go.

Heads up: UPS does not pick up Ground packages on Christmas Eve, and Air pickups that day must be prearranged by Dec. 18. UPS is closed Christmas Day except its UPS Express Critical service. For FedEx's Dec. 25 schedule, check its holiday page.

Where are the post offices in Harford County?

Hours below are window (retail) hours from the USPS location finder. Lines get long in December, so go early. Confirm before you go.

Post office	Address	Mon to Fri	Sat	Phone
Bel Air	202 Blum Ct., Bel Air 21014	9 a.m. to 5 p.m.	9 a.m. to 1 p.m.	410-420-7544
Aberdeen	30 W. Bel Air Ave., Aberdeen 21001	8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.	8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.	410-272-1610
Havre de Grace	301 N. Juniata St., Havre de Grace 21078	8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.	9 a.m. to 1 p.m.	410-939-9507
Abingdon	2945 Emmorton Rd., Abingdon 21009	8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.	9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.	410-569-4421
Fallston	2416 Watervale Rd., Fallston 21047	8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.	8:30 a.m. to noon	410-877-2846
Forest Hill	2329 Rock Spring Rd., Forest Hill 21050	9 a.m. to 5 p.m.	9 a.m. to noon	410-838-0820
Joppa	906 Joppa Farm Rd., Joppa 21085	9 a.m. to 5 p.m.	9 a.m. to noon	410-679-5395
Edgewood	2290 Hanson Rd., Edgewood 21040	9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 to 5 p.m.	9 a.m. to noon	410-676-9378
Jarrettsville	3713 Federal Hill Rd., Jarrettsville 21084	8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.	8:30 a.m. to noon	410-692-0972
Churchville	2931 Churchville Rd., Churchville 21028	8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.	8:30 a.m. to noon	410-914-8542

Want to skip the line? USPS lets you print labels and schedule a free package pickup from home.

When are post offices closed this holiday season?

USPS lists Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov. 26) and Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25) as 2026 holidays, and New Year's Day (Friday, Jan. 1, 2027). See my Thanksgiving closures guide and Christmas and New Year's closures guide.

Still shopping? Buy local first. See my Bel Air Main Street gift guide and the 2026 holiday guide.

FAQ

What is the last day to mail Christmas packages with USPS in 2026?

Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail: Dec. 17. Priority Mail: Dec. 18. Priority Mail Express: Dec. 19.

What is the last day to ship UPS for Christmas 2026?

UPS says it depends on the service and route. Use UPS Calculate Time and Cost for delivery by Dec. 24. UPS does not pick up Ground packages on Christmas Eve.

What is the FedEx Ground deadline for Christmas 2026?

It depends on transit time: Dec. 17 for 5-day transit up to Dec. 23 for 1-day transit.

What are the Bel Air post office hours?

The Bel Air Post Office at 202 Blum Ct. is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Are post offices open on Christmas Eve 2026?

USPS does not list Christmas Eve as a holiday. Christmas Day, Dec. 25, is a postal holiday.

About the author: Josh Tessier is a Harford County REALTOR® with the Lee Tessier Team at eXp Realty, based in Bel Air. He has been licensed in real estate since 2011, and the Lee Tessier Team has sold 5,900+ homes. He lives in Harford County and is raising his family here. Call or text (443) 617-2099.

Harford County real estate agent Josh Tessier — *Josh Tessier, REALTOR® with the Lee Tessier Team. Call or text (443) 617-2099.*

Watch more on my YouTube channel: Josh Talks Harford. Follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

Header photo: “Benson, Maryland” by Bluesnote, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Benson Post Office, Harford County. Cropped, with text added.