SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP -- Chances are, you'll see more mail and package delivery trucks on the road on Monday, traditionally the biggest day of the year for the shipping industry.
It's 10 days until Christmas, so if you're mailing packages and cards, time is running out. That's why post offices and shippers are feeling the holiday rush.
It was a steady stream of customers hitting the UPS Store in South Abington Township Monday morning, different people with the same goal: get packages to loved ones by Christmas.
Christy Ranallo of Scranton is doing something unusual, for her, this year: mailing on time.
"Wait till the last minute to do everything and today, I said I'm going to get them out," Ranallo said.
And because Ranallo was there, on time, her mom and dad in Florida are guaranteed to get their gifts by Christmas morning.
Joe Rupp from North Abington Township knows what the people are experiencing. He's a retired UPS driver. Rupp is a traditional early mailer. One package got away.
"We got everything out a couple weeks ago. We do it early every year, but this year, we had one left over."
Left over, but still early enough to get to his daughter in Charleston, South Carolina on time.
Video supplied by shipping giant FedEx shows its employees and machines in action. FedEx says this will be its biggest shipping day ever, with 22.6 million packages moving through its system. FedEx says internet sales are the reason its volume is steadily increasing.
Private shipping services like FedEx and UPS are not the only busy ones. The United States Postal Service is also getting swamped, and it's not just packages in the mail.
Inside the Chinchilla post office, in South Abington Township, near Clarks Summit, many are dropping off packages. But some, like Mildred Bortel of South Abington Township, are mailing Christmas cards. She and her daughter sent out 80.
"How long does it take to address all of those?"
"A couple days," Bortel replied.
"Worth it? You seem very happy, in the Christmas Spirit?"
"It's time to be," she laughed.
Some post offices are open early and have extended hours.
Troy Comstock back at the UPS Store says they're able to handle the holiday rush.
"Yeah, we have extra staff, extra people. They come in earlier and stay longer. That's our day."
Comstock says he doesn't mind the yearly ritual of nonstop activity, all day long. He says the time flies, and customers are happy their packages will arrive at their destinations for Christmas morning.
There are several options for those who mail late, but be aware the closer we get to the holiday, the more it will cost to get it there on time.
