Pago Pago Postmaster Smitty McMoore is urging local residents to mail early to ensure that their holiday gifts and cards arrive on time for Christmas Day, which falls on a Thursday this year. 

“This is the same critical message for families and friends residing off-island who are planning to send to the territory holiday packages for their families,” McMoore told Samoa News yesterday. “The Christmas holiday period is always very busy and everyone should send mail early.”

The U.S. Postal Service said last week it expects to deliver some 19 billion cards, letters and packages for this holiday season.

It’s usually after Thanksgiving people start thinking about sending their Christmas mail and McMoore said the local Post Office has already started receiving holiday mail.

If mailing priority mail to Honolulu, McMoore said it should be mailed no later than Thursday this week; however, express mail is still the fastest way if the person wants those gifts to arrive way before Christmas.

For the U.S. mainland, McMoore said at this point, “get it in the  mail now and ensure it arrives on time and do not wait until a week or two weeks before Christmas.”

“When mailing either from American Samoa or to American Samoa, always take into consideration that the Post Office handles a huge volume of mail during the holiday season, so always give yourself a lot of time,” he said in a telephone interview.

And when sending parcels, McMoore said to remember the postal service sorts these items by hand, unlike the envelopes, which are sorted through a machine. “So it does takes time to sort through parcels and packages,” he explained.

If you are sending goodies and packages to our military personnel in Iraq/Afghanistan, McMoore said also to send those early, because their mail goes through the military postal service before it’s delivered to the destination, and this process “also takes time.”

“I would hate to see our soldiers in the war not getting their holiday goodies.” he added.

“This week and next week is very critical to the postal service because of the huge volume that goes through the process,” he said.

McMoore also cautioned people who shop through an on-line catalog where shipping is considered “free of charge”. McMoore said the parcel will be shipped free of charge across the country but it will then be placed on ocean transportation to American Samoa.

He said he has seen past incidents where a parcel was ordered long before Christmas and didn’t arrive here, via ocean service, until a month later.

“Even if free shipping is offered, pay priority mail for American Samoa,” he said.

He also asked the public to make sure that all of the correct information is on the package/envelope before it’s mailed out to ensure there is no delay in delivery. “Please use the right zip code,” he added.

Deputy Postmaster General and Chief Operating Officer Patrick R. Donahoe said in a news release that “proper addressing and proper packaging will help us give every gift the service it deserves.”

The Postal Service offers free, environmentally friendly Priority Mail and Express Mail boxes and envelopes. These supplies can be ordered at usps.com or picked up at a local Post Office.

“The best shipping value may be our Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes,” says Donahoe. “No calculating of postage or weighing is needed. If it fits, it ships.”

McMoore said that when sending items to American Samoa, “please make sure that the correct post office box number is on the envelop or parcel so it goes to the right box. There are just too many incidents where the box number is incorrect or transposed.”

The Postmaster is also pleased with Hawaiian Airlines’ two extra flights on Dec. 19 and 23 which will be of great help in moving the mail before Christmas.

Hawaiian’s two other extra flights are on Dec. 30 and Jan. 2.

McMoore said that as the holiday approaches residents expecting holiday packages should make sure to check their mail boxes and pick up the items as soon as possible.

 He said there is limited room in the sorting area for the Post Office and packages need to be cleared out as soon as they come in to make room for other incoming mail.

The Post Office is expecting four containers in today, and they want enough room to sort the mail.