JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The retail stores have been busy since Black Friday as shoppers scrambled to grab all their holiday gifts. But now, it's the Postal Service's turn to get busy.
Monday is the start of the shipping rush and shipping centers like UPS are ready.
It's officially crunch time inside the UPS Store on Atlantic Boulevard. Owner Joe Santora says this kicks off his holiday rush.
"There's plenty of time but don't wait until the last minute because we are busy and you know things do happen in shipping so you want to make sure you give yourself enough time," he said.
He says it is critical you are packing your gifts correctly to make sure they arrive to their destinations in one piece.
"If you're not sure of your packing abilities, we pack here at the store so we have everything that you need here to pack. We can bubble wrap and use foam planks so we can do everything from a china set to a buffalo head, which we've done, if you need to."
And Santora adds even though things always get a bit hectic, it's fun to play a role in shipping off the holiday cheer.
"There's a lot of lead up to it, a lot of planning, but when it comes down to it before you know it, it's Christmas Eve and it's over and we're waiting for next year," Santora said.
Santora says the very latest that you can get your stuff to UPS to ground ship is Friday for the West Coast. They can send your stuff by air up to the day before Christmas, but it won't be cheap.
And he says it's OK to bring your gifts in already wrapped. But it is typically cheaper to send as much as possible in one package -- and they can help combine your gifts into one box.
Also, don't forget to bring your ID.
