MCLEAN, Va. (DC News Now) -- This year's calendar leaves holiday shoppers with five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas than last year. The United States Postal Service is poised to deliver on time during the holiday shipping season, Mark Wahl, a USPS spokesperson, told DC News Now. "We've added new packing machines, new sorting machines. We have new sorting and delivery standards. We have new vehicles as well," Wahl said. "We're primed and ready to deliver exceptional service through this 2024 holiday rush." The service is fully staffed with a complement of 7,500 seasonal employees and has the capacity to process 60 million packages a day. Wahl said early shipping leads to savings, giving the example of a package shipped from Washington, D.C., to Santa Claus, Ind. A ten-pound flat-rate box would arrive by Christmas Eve if shipped by Dec. 18, costing $6.85. The same package, mailed three days later, would cost $90 for Priority Mail Express service to ensure a Christmas Eve delivery. Packages with some items, such as aerosols or nail polish, are required to be carried by ground, meaning delivery may take longer. Saving on holiday shopping at Goodwill For holiday cards, a 73-cent forever stamp ensures delivery anywhere in the U.S. within a week. Letters and cards should be sent by Dec. 18 to guarantee arrival before Christmas. USPS deadlines for shipping to U.S. service members and diplomats abroad are Dec. 9 for Priority Mail and Dec. 16 for Priority Mail Express. USPS pricing is more affordable than other carriers. FedEx and UPS both hiked shipping costs by 5.9% this year. Commercial carriers are the only option for some items, such as alcohol products and perishable foods. Though more expensive than USPS, FedEx offers overnight shipping seven days a week.