TAMPA, Fla. — Some of us never get our holiday gifts mailed out in time to actually arrive before the big day comes. We curse ourselves for our procrastination and vow to be more on the ball next year, only to fall into the same trap when the season rolls around again.

This year, it’s more important than ever to get your packages in transit as early as possible. Between the recent shenanigans at the higher levels of the United States Postal service and the massive surge in online shopping brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, stocks are low and delivery times are stretching out.


What You Need To Know

  • The United States Postal Service is opening Bay area offices on Sundays in December

  • Online shopping and shipping has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic

  • The USPS predects the week of December 14-20 to see its heaviest activity

The busiest days for package shipping have been moved up this year, too. In the past, the USPS has predicted a “heaviest day” for business; this year, it predicts the entire week of December 14-20 to be its busiest time of the run-up to the holidays.

To that end, the USPS today announced that several post offices in the greater Tampa Bay area will be opening on Sundays throughout the month of December to help gift-givers get their presents where they’re supposed to go on time. You can find the list of participating offices and the dates they’ll be open below, or on the USPS website.

The Postal Service also recommends the use of its several Self-Service Kiosks in the area (see also below), or taking advantage of its Click-N-Ship services, which allow you to order boxes and shipping labels to be delivered to you door, as well as facilitating free next-day pickup from your home. About the only thing the USPS can’t do is make your presents not look like they were wrapped by a seven-year-old.

TAMPA BAY USPS OFFICES OPEN ON SUNDAYS IN DECEMBER

Brandon Main

1315 Oakfield Dr.

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13

 

Clearwater Main

100 S. Belcher Rd.

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13, 12/20

 

Largo Main

50 Eighth Ave. SW

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13, 12/20

 

Oldsmar

3905 Tampa Rd.

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13

 

Palm Harbor

495 Alt 19

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13

 

Port Richey

Embassy Crossing, 9602 U.S. Highway 19

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13

 

Riverview

10810 Boyette Rd.

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13

 

Seminole

9355 113th St.

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13

 

Spring Hill

8501 Philatelic Dr.

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13

 

St. Petersburg Crossroads

1275 66th St. N.

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13, 12/20

 

St. Petersburg Gateway

701 77th Ave. N.

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13, 12/20

 

St. Petersburg Main

3135 First Ave. N.

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13

 

Tampa Carrollwood

12651 N. Dale Mabry Hwy.

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/6, 12/13, 12/20

 

Tampa Main

3501 Bessie Coleman Blvd.

Open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on 12/6, 12/13, 12/20

 

New Tampa

16350 Bruce E. Downs Blvd.

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/6, 12/13, 12/20

 

Tarpon Springs

850 E. Lime St.

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13

 

Valrico

2406 E. State Rd. 60

Open noon-4 p.m. on 12/13, 12/20

 

SELF-SERVICE KIOSKS

  • Brandon, 867 W. Bloomingdale Ave.
  • Dunedin, 1350 County Rd. 1
  • Ehrlich Rd., 14910 N. Dale Mabry Hwy
  • Forest Hills, 11800 N. Florida Ave.
  • Land O Lakes, 5230 Land O Lakes Blvd.
  • Lutz, 18489 N. US Hwy 41
  • New Port Richey Main, 6550 Main St.
  • Peninsula Tampa, 1002B S. Church Ave.
  • Pinellas Park, 5260 78th Ave. N.
  • Plant City, 2501 Walden Woods Dr.
  • Temple Terrace, 8761 N. 56th St.
  • Town ‘N’ Country, 7521 Paula Dr.