Families who wish to send Holiday gift packages to service members in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other overseas locations at economy rates must have them postmarked by Nov. 12, the U.S. Postal Service announced Oct. 8. Space-available mail should be postmarked by Nov. 26; parcel airlift mail, by Dec. 3; priority and first-class mail, letters, and cards, by Dec. 10; and express mail military service, by Dec. 18. Postal customers who take advantage of the discount rate can send packages in the Postal Service’s largest priority-mail flat-rate box. Twelve inches by 12 inches by 5.5 inches in dimension, the box is large enough to handle laptop computers, small conventional ovens, and military care packages, USPS says. Shipping of those packages to military overseas addresses normally costs the same as domestic mail – usually $14.50. But packages bound for APO or FPO addresses only cost $12.50, or $11.95 for persons who print their priority-mail postage label online. The boxes are free at any post office, or on the Postal Service Web site. For more details, including restrictions on contents to be shipped, call (800) ASK-USPS (275-8777).
