Oct. 11, 2002 – It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, at least at the U.S. Postal Service.
The agency announces its mail-by dates for international and military mail. Domestic dates should be out by mid-November, according to Postmaster Louis A. Jackson.
"The key thing is to mail early," Jackson said.
He said that to make sure addresses aren't obliterated, put a copy of the return address as well as the recipient's address inside the box.
The dates for both boxes and envelopes are:
– Military mail to APO/FPO Zip Codes 090-098, 340 and 962-966: Parcel Post, Nov. 6,
– Space Available Mail (SAM,) Nov. 27,
– Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL,) Dec. 4,
– Priority Mail and first class letters and cards, Dec. 11,
– International mail: Africa – surface, Nov. 1, Air Parcel Post and air letters and cards, Dec. 9,
– Asia/Pacific Rim and Australia/New Zealand – surface, Nov. 6; Air Parcel Post and air letters and cards, Dec. 16,
– Canada – surface, Nov. 23, Air Parcel Post and air letters and cards, Dec. 16,
– Caribbean – surface, Nov. 20, Air Parcel Post and air letters and cards, Dec. 16,
– Central and South America – surface, Nov. 6, Air Parcel Post and air letters and cards, Dec. 9,
– Mexico – surface, Nov. 23, Air Parcel Post and air letters and cards, Dec. 16,
– Europe – surface, Nov. 13, Air Parcel Post and air letters and cards, Dec. 16,
– Middle East – surface, Nov. 1, Air Parcel Post and air letters and cards, Dec. 16.
PAL mail is available for packages up to 30 pounds and 60 inches length and girth combined. There is a PAL fee in addition to the regular surface rate of postage.
SAM parcels have a maximum weight of 15 pounds and size of 60 inches in length and girth combined. These packages go domestically via surface mail and then on to overseas destinations on a space-available basis.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.