The U.S. Postal Service is prepared to deliver roughly 16 billion greeting cards, letters and packages this holiday season.

The Postal Service, the largest e-commerce deliverer, projects about 750 million packages, a 12 percent increase in volume compared to last year.

The Postal Service is hiring more than 35,000 seasonal employees to help process and deliver the increased volumes and meet customers’ needs.

Sunday delivery hours will be expanded beginning Nov. 27 because of the anticipated package volumes. More than five million packages are expected to be delivered each Sunday in December.

The busiest mailing and shipping day will be Monday, Dec. 19. Thursday, Dec. 22, is expected to be the busiest delivery day for holiday mail. The estimate is nearly 30 million packages will be delivered on the peak delivery day alone.

Because Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on Sunday this year, post offices will be closed on Monday, Dec. 26, and Monday, Jan. 2, the observed federal holidays.

Only Priority Mail Express will be delivered on the actual holidays.

Card$mart

An alternative to the main post office is the contract station at Card$mart in Fountainside Plaza, 12645 Saguaro Blvd., suite 6.

Lines are usually shorter at the location in the rear of the store.

Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8:30 to 3:30 Saturday. The last pickup is at 4:30 p.m.

The Card$mart post office will be open until 3 p.m. Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24, and New Year’s Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31.

The staff can fill all postal needs with supplies of priority boxes, mailing supplies and stamps.

Dealines

The suggested mailing dates are:

* Dec. 9, Priority Mail Military and first class mail.

*Dec, 15, USPS retail ground.

* * Dec. 20, First Class Mail.

*Dec. 21, Priority Mail.

*Dec. 23, Express Mail.