Unable to visit a few friends and loved ones this holiday season? Don't stress, just send gifts! But before you do, look over these quick tips from the U.S. Postal Service to ensure speedy and accurate deliveries.

• Make sure to ship your gifts according to the suggested mail-by dates. Bring in all first-class and priority mail by Monday, Dec. 21 and express mail by Wednesday, Dec. 23.

• Remember to use a sturdy box or carton. No matter the size of the contents, choose a box large enough to leave a little extra room for cushioning and remember to seal the flaps with pressure-sensitive or reinforced tape.

• When addressing the package, remove or cross out any conflicting information, eliminate all punctuation, include a return address and save the cursive for the card inside — plain uppercase letters will work just fine.

Spelling out the city name (i.e., Philadelphia), abbreviating the state name (i.e., PA) and including apartment numbers when necessary also allows for quick processing and accurate distribution.

• Less is more. Use abbreviations in both the sender and receiver addresses: Ave. (Avenue), St. (Street), Ln. (Lane) and S. (South), etc.