Heavy volume expected at Post Offices today

If you're just looking to buy stamps at the post office today, you
might want to just hold off a day.

Today, Dec. 20, is the busiest day of the year for the United States
Postal Service, with more than 800 million pieces of mail expected to
enter the system. That's 40 percent more than the daily average,
according to a release from the postal service.

But even if you decide to skip the long lines expected today, the
postal service said in the release that packages will get to their
destinations if they're delivered to a post office by Tuesday, Dec.
21.

"There's still time to mail greeting cards and ship presents," said
Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe.

After Tuesday, however, the postal service recommends one of their
more expensive shipping services.

The service also recommends using its website – usps.com – to print
shipping labels and pay for postage or using one of their Automated
Postal Centers, which, like ATMs, perform many of the same functions
of a trip to the post office.

The downtown Toms River post office has an automated postal center, usable 24 hours a day. But for shipping services that require the help of a postal clerk at the business counter, the downtown office is open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

In addition to the Toms River post office, nearby postal offices include:

• Island Heights PO, 5 Wanamaker Municipal Complex, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 732-929-0220.
• Silverton Pharmacy, PO Substation, 1824 Hooper Ave., open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call 732-255-4788.
• Beachwood PO, 74 Locker St., 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 732-349-5507.

If you're just looking for stamps, try locations such as Staples, Shop Rite, Walgreens, TD Bank and Super Stop & Shop – just some of the locations in Toms River that sell stamps.