Post Office reminds families to send, pick-up holiday packages early

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Stacy Sanchez
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  With the holiday season just around the corner, the post office here wants to remind Team Lakenheath about the importance of delivering and picking up packages before the mail rush. 

From Nov. 15 to Jan. 15, the RAF Lakenheath post office is expecting more than 100,000 parcels to come through the base; this is not including the normal handled mail such as catalogues and letters. 

"If people do not send their packages by Nov. 15, they can expect that their items won't make it in time for the holidays," Master Sgt. Kirk Baldwin, 48th Communications Squadron postmaster said. "We highly recommend that you take the deadline dates back by at least two to three days to be sure all packages arrive on time. Also, coming in on the deadline date will be like going shopping on black Friday- the day after Thanksgiving." 

Sergeant Baldwin said surface mail can take anywhere from four to six weeks for delivery, so if people plan on using any reduced rates, they need to be ordering their items now. Priority mail on the other hand, usually transits in seven to 14 days. 

The post office is also requesting that people pick up parcels immediately. This is essential as they must make room for the shipment. If families are leaving the area for more than 14 days, they must notify the post office, otherwise, parcels may be returned to sender. 

To help both families and post office employees with the holiday rush, the post office is extending its hours beginning Nov. 15. 

"Please bear with us," Sergeant Baldwin said. "This is a very stressful time for our folks. We are working long hours, seven days a week to ensure people get their mail in a timely manner."

The post office extended hours are:

-- Finance 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday  to Saturday

-- Parcel pick-up 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week

The post office reduced hours are:

-- Finance - Christmas eve, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

-- Finance and parcel pick-up New Years eve, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

The post office will be closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.