Time’s running out on shipping holiday presents
It’s Christmas week, and there’s still time to get those last-minute holiday gifts shipped out and under someone’s tree by Dec. 25 — but be ready to pay more.
The U.S. Postal Service, UPS and FedEx will operate normally on Friday, Christmas Eve, but some post offices and stores could have limited hours. None of the three will pick up or deliver packages on Christmas Day.
If you want presents to reach their domestic destinations by Dec. 25, here are your options:
USPS: Thursday is the last day to send packages through Priority Mail Express, which includes Next-Day to 2-Day Guarantee and Flat Rate Pricing.
UPS: The recommended send-by dates for 3-Day Select, 2nd Day Air and Next Day Air are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday respectively.
FedEx: It’s too late for ground service, but FedEx offers express shipping, even same-day and two-day options.
Retailers: Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and other big retailers have varied deadlines for shipping. Check their websites for more information.
City, county doings
▪ Charlotte City Council could make a decision Monday on a petition from Charlotte Pipe and Foundry to rezone 55 acres of land near Bank of America Stadium to “uptown mixed-use district.” The rezoning would allow for a range of uses, including retail, hotels, restaurants and stadiums.
Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper has previously cited the foundry land as a possible future home for a new stadium.
A special remote meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m., followed by the regular zoning meeting at 5 p.m. Both can be watched on the Government Channel, the city’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
▪ The Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners will appoint two members to the Arts and Science Advisory Council and three to the Women’s Advisory Board during a meeting Tuesday. The board also will get an update on the coronavirus recovery funds the county received from the American Rescue Plan Act. The update will include an overview of the County’s COVID 19 Strategic Recovery Plan.
The public can attend in person at the Government Center or watch the Government Channel or online at watch.mecknc.gov.
▪ County offices and services will be closed Dec. 24 and Dec. 27 for the Christmas holiday. Solid waste centers will be open Dec. 27. Park and recreation centers, aquatic facilities and nature centers are closed Dec. 24.
Sports and entertainment
▪ The Carolina Panthers will look to snap a three-game losing streak Sunday when they play the Bills in Buffalo, N.Y. The Panthers, whose playoff prospects are dim, will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 26, at 1 p.m. Both games will air on Fox.
▪ The Charlotte Hornets continue their Western road trip with an 8 p.m. tipoff at Phoenix on Sunday. They’ll head north to Utah on Monday for a 9 p.m. game, before wrapping up in Denver on Thursday at 9 p.m.
▪ Celebrate the season at the Tosco Music Holiday Party at Knight Theater on Monday night. The lineup includes over a dozen performers and sing-a-longs, as well as traditional holiday songs performed in a variety of musical genres. For more information on this or other holiday events, visit CharlotteFive.com.