This is the season for mailing cards and packages.   Canada post  has announced that once again, ( for the 24th year in a row) Santa is ready to start accepting letters from the little ones, the address remains the same,

Santa Claus

North Pole

Canada,  H0H 0H0

and the deadlines for  mailing are fast approaching:

Letters, cards and parcels destined for Central/South America and Africa should be mailed by November 27.

Holiday mail destined for Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, Europe and the United States, should be posted by December 8.

Cards, letters and parcels for delivery within Canada should be mailed by the dates listed in the chart below.

Cards and letters…

Regular parcels destined for major urban centres should be mailed by December 11,

parcels being sent to non-major centres should be mailed by December 8 and parcels for delivery in northern regions and remote centres should be posted by November 27.

Packing those parcels is always a treat, the folks at UPS  have passed along some tips:

When it comes to parcels heading to international destinations, "Vague descriptions of package contents on a declaration form is one of the most common causes of delays at borders," says Steve Moorman, Senior Vice President, Franchise Operations at MBEC Communications Inc, which owns The UPS Store master license in Canada. "Our staff continually say to customers, if the following four questions aren’t answered in your description, then you need to go back and redo the paperwork:

what are you shipping; what is it made of; what is it used for; and what is its value?"

"It’s also important to note that each country has its own gift exemption rules, as well as customs requirements, so it’s critical to know these upfront by speaking to people who work with couriers or by doing some internet research. It may take a few minutes at the time of shipping, but certainly ensures a timely delivery with no duty surprises."

As examples, Moorman gives the following:

• When sending to the US, there is a $100US gift exemption PER person.
• Multiple gifts can be sent in the same shipment but the invoice must clearly state the name, description, and value for each person.
• Sending to Great Britain is the same, however the gift exemption there is $75 Canadian and customs forms require detailed information on each gift and its value.
• You cannot send coffee to Germany

Correct packaging of items is also critical for timely delivery. For those packaging their own gifts for shipping, UPS offers these tips:

•  Always use a new, corrugated box for shipping. Used ones can be weakened and break apart during shipping.
•  Newspaper is not a good packing material. It doesn’t have ’memory’, thus doesn’t bounce back to protect those items it surrounds when impacted.
•  Bubble wrap and Styrofoam peanuts and even popcorn, are the best packing materials.
•  If shipping electronics, always remember to remove the batteries and package them separately.
•  Don’t forget to cushion ALL sides of the package with a minimum of two inches of cushioning material such as Styrofoam peanuts.
•  Secure each seam of your box with two inches of packing tape on both the top and bottom sides. Avoid using masking or cellophane tape which isn’t strong enough.
•  Fragile items should be sent via air service to minimize time in transit and reduce the possibility of damage.