The calendar reads November, and Thanksgiving is the next holiday in the thoughts of most folks.

The U.S. Postal Service reminds readers that the mailing deadlines for holiday greeting cards and packages are not far off.

Consumers don’t have to leave home to ship their packages. They can visit usps.com.

Dec. 17 is anticipated to be the busiest day online with more than eight million consumers predicted to visit the website for help shipping that day.

It is estimated nearly 400,000 consumers will use the Click-N-Ship feature to order free Priority Mail boxes, print shipping labels, purchase postage and request free next day package pickup.

A new feature this year will be tracking the mail headed to your address. USPS Informed Delivery is the Postal Service’s free daily digital preview of what’s coming to your mailbox visible through a mobile app, dashboard, tablet or computer.

Beginning the week of Dec. 10, customer traffic is expected to increase. The Postal Service expects to deliver nearly 200 million packages weekly during the two weeks.

The week of Dec. 17-23 is predicted to be the busiest mailing, shipping and delivery week. In that one week alone, the Postal Service expects to process and deliver nearly 3 billion pieces of first class mail, including greeting cards.

For expected delivery of holiday packages and cards by Christmas, the Postal Service recommends the following deadlines:

*Dec. 11, Priority Mail and first class mail international.

*Dec. 14, Standard retail ground.

*Dec. 20, First class mail and packages.

*Dec. 22, Priority Mail Express.

Contract station

Cards of Fountain Hills in Plaza Fountainside reminds residents that the contract station may be a more convenient and accessible option to the main post office to mail packages.

Mailing boxes and envelopes also can be obtained. The mail service is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Saturday. It is closed Sundays.

Owner Suzanne Buck said a special Letters to Santa mail box will be located in the store.