Just about a week left to guarantee Christmas deliveries, UPS says

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- You are running out of time to ship holiday gifts, as UPS says you have just about a week left to guarantee your package will make it before Christmas Day. UPS says the last day to send out a package to make it before the 25th is on December 22nd. If you drop an item off on the 23rd or 24th, it will likely not make it on time.

Jorge Ramos is the owner of the UPS Store at 19th and Northern avenues in Phoenix. He says 2020 was the busiest year for UPS deliveries. The online shopping boom changed how many items would be shipped day to day. Since 2020, UPS says the number of packages has dropped, but not as much as pre-pandemic levels.

Ramos says his store has around 300 packages coming and going from his store each day during December. The store hours are extended to give people more time to stop in and get the help they need.

James Hall has been a UPS driver for 19 years. He says 12-hour days are expected after Thanksgiving. Hall’s route covers just one square mile of Phoenix. It may not sound like much, but he is delivering around 500 packages a day during the holiday season.

“There has been years in the past where we’ve been swamped,” Hall said. “We learned from our mistakes in the past. Once Thanksgiving hits it’s a whirlwind at work. You see the flow increase dramatically.”

Hall says knowing your driver can help if you are worried about security. He said some people on his route text him where to leave a package out of sight. You can also leave a note on your door or with UPS about where to leave the package specifically.

Tempe Police tweeted some tips about package safety Wednesday:

When it comes to sending packages, you can wrap a box up yourself. If there are mistakes like the wrong address or a broken or beaten box, that can delay the delivery. You can go to the UPS store and have them pack it if you prefer. To learn more about shipping options, click/tap here.

Copyright 2022 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.