Is There Mail on Christmas Eve? Post Office Open Hours, Delivery

As Christmas approaches and gifts continue to be ordered online, some may wonder what delivery services, such as the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and FedEx, will be operating the day before the holiday.

Christmas Eve, which is celebrated on December 24, lands on a Sunday this year, meaning that many delivery services will be closed.

"This year, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve each fall on Sunday, when normal closures apply," the USPS said in a press release earlier this month.

Does USPS deliver on Christmas Eve?

Since Christmas Eve lands on a Sunday in 2023, USPS will not be delivering mail as the mail delivery service is closed on all Sundays throughout the year. The USPS holiday service schedule shows that there will be no mail delivered on Christmas Eve by the postal service.

The holiday service schedule also shows that all local post offices will be closed on Christmas Eve.

Newsweek reached out to USPS via email for comment.

USPS
A US Postal Service employee wearing a Santa hat, bikes through the Los Angeles Processing and Distribution Center where mail is sorted in preparation for another busy holiday season, November 30, 2022, in Los Angeles.... FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

Does UPS deliver on Christmas Eve?

The United Parcel Service states on its website that it will have no pickup or delivery services available on Christmas Eve.

While many UPS stores will be closed on Christmas Eve due to it landing on a Sunday, UPS says that some store locations will be open and have modified business hours. "Check with your local store for specific hours of operation," the website says.

Newsweek reached out to UPS via email for comment.

Does FedEx deliver on Christmas Eve?

The FedEx holiday schedule shows several of its services being closed on Christmas Eve, such as FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Ground Economy, and FedEx Freight.

The schedule states that FedEx Offices will have modified hours on Christmas Eve. Customers are encouraged to check with their local FedEx office locations to ensure the hours on Christmas Eve if they are in need of service.

Newsweek reached out to FedEx via email for comment.

Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday?

While many celebrate Christmas Eve across the nation, it is not considered a federal holiday by the U.S. government.

Instead, Christmas Day, December 25, is a federal holiday and is observed nationwide with business closures and holiday celebrations.

Since Christmas Eve lands on a Sunday, a majority of banks and some other businesses will be closed, but many retail stores and grocery locations will likely be open.

Is there mail on Christmas Day?

Christmas Day, celebrated on December 25, is a federal holiday and all mail services will be closed down.

There will be no USPS, UPS, or FedEx deliveries on Christmas Day, and all of their office locations will also be closed.

"In observance of the two holidays, Post Offices will be closed on Monday, Dec. 25, and Monday, Jan. 1. Blue collection boxes will not be serviced these days and there are no residential or business deliveries — except for Priority Mail Express, which is delivered 365 days a year in select locations for an additional fee," the USPS said in a press release announcing holiday closures.

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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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