ORLANDO, Fla. — The United States Postal Service is gearing up for the holiday packing surge.

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Luis Gaverra said he’s getting ready for his busiest week of the year with the USPS.

“It’s going to be hectic,” he said. “Long days, long weeks. And we will pray on the 25th when it’s over.”

The demand is evident so far, adding about two hours to Gaviria’s usual delivery route near Holden heights.

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To help Gaviria meet this demand, the post office has hired 20,000 seasonal workers across the country.

USPS is urging people to get their packages delivered sooner rather than later to avoid mishaps.

“We do have a 2 1/2 day average for getting cards and packages to their destination,” Customer Relations Coordinator Michael Prather said. “The closer we get to Christmas, the more packages there will be.”

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It is recommended you post first-class mail by Dec. 17, priority mail by Dec. 21 and express mail by Dec. 23.

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