The holiday season is nearly a wrap and with that, there's only 358 days to go until next Christmas (give or take).
With Santa safely back at the North Pole, you're probably thinking about returning the presents he brought that didn't quite work out, or keeping on eye on the mailbox for the gift card that didn't arrive in the St. Nick of time. And, yes, pun intended.
Or perhaps you bypassed Christmas cards this year in favor of sending off New Year's wishes instead. If so, a trip to the post office is likely in order to pick up stamps or to drop your addressed envelopes into the box.
Regardless of what you may need from the USPS, you might be wondering if the post office is open and if the mail runs on New Year's Day.
New Year's Day is one of 11 annual federal holidays including Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day. As is customary on federal holidays, a majority of banks and government offices are typically closed.
Many retailers and restaurants, however, are open and happy to welcome customers on New Year's Day (find a list here), unlike Thanksgiving and Christmas when many close to allow employees to spend time with loved ones.
Which brings us back to New Year's Day and the USPS. If you're waiting for something important to show up or have business at the post office, here's what you need to know this year.
Is there mail delivery on New Year's Eve 2024?
As you already know, New Year's Eve lands on a Sunday this year and since the mail doesn't routinely run on Sundays, it's safe to assume that there won't be mail on Dec. 31, 2023.
Just to make sure, TODAY.com reached out to the USPS and according to statement, normal Sunday closures apply this year, which means post offices will be closed on New Year's Eve.
Of course, it's never a bad idea to check with your local branch because according to the USPS, "Customers are always encouraged to check with their local Post Office for hours of operation."
Will the mail run on New Year's Day 2024?
Since New Year's Day falls on a Monday this year, it's tempting to think that because it's a weekday, the post office is open for business.
However, because it's officially a federal holiday, the post office will be closed on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 and mail will not be delivered.
Mail will not be collected from blue boxes on either New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. With that in mind, depending on the urgency of your transaction, you may want to plan ahead.
Normal USPS operations resume on Tuesday, Jan. 2, at which time you can take care of any unfinished postal business.
If you're in a real pinch, the USPS reminds customers that "many services, such as purchasing stamps and shipping labels, are available at usps.com."
Finally, to save you a trip to your local post office, you can find local hours and services using the USPS branch locator, which you'll conveniently find right here.
Start 2024 off with these helpful tips
