It’s the first week of November, and at AIM Mail Center in Broomfield that means one thing: the customers who ship this month have an easy December, and the ones who wait pay more for the same box.
Carriers have published their official holiday shipping deadlines — our 2026 deadlines guide stays updated — but the plan is simpler than memorizing dates.
The three-line plan
- Ship ground gifts by early December. Ground is the cheapest service all season, and it needs the earliest handoff. Anything already bought should go now.
- Overseas and military boxes go first. Those windows close weeks before domestic ones — more on that in our next post.
- Save express for emergencies only. The last-week air services cost several times ground rates. A November trip to our counter means never needing them.
Why this month beats next month
Peak-season surcharges step up as December approaches, trucks get fuller and rougher, and there’s no time left to fix a wrong address. A box shipped from our counter this month travels cheaper and calmer — and we compare USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL on every single package.
Quick answers
What should I ship first? International, military APO/FPO, and anything fragile that needs Professional Packing. Then domestic ground gifts.
What if I haven’t finished shopping? Ship what you have. Two early shipments beat one December scramble.
Do you track everything? Every package, on our tracking page.
Start your plan this week
Expecting a flood of incoming orders too? Ask about a private mailbox with package receiving while you’re in, so nothing sits on a porch this season.
Bring your first round of gifts to AIM Mail Center, 2205 W 136th Ave Ste 106, Broomfield, CO 80023, at the corner of 136th Ave and Zuni, right by Legacy High School. Serving Broomfield, Westminster, Thornton, Northglenn, and Erie. Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 9am–5pm. Call (303) 280-6245 or just come in — we’ll build your ship-by plan at the counter.