Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October every year. In 2021, it falls on October 11.
The annual holiday commemorates Christopher Columbus' landing in the New World on October 12, 1492.
The day usually sees festive parades take place in different cities. The parades have been held for over 500 years since Columbus' fleet of three ships arrived at San Salvador Island, which is part of the Bahamas.
The first recorded celebration of Columbus Day in the U.S. was on October 12, 1792, which marked the 300th anniversary of Columbus' landing.
Columbus Day became an official holiday in the country following a proclamation in 1892 from former U.S. President Benjamin Harrison. It has been observed as a federal holiday since 1971.
Is the Post Office Open on Columbus Day?
Columbus Day is a federal holiday, which means many government offices are shut. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is closed on Columbus Day and USPS branches won't be open on the day.
In a notice about Columbus Day last year, the USPS previously tweeted: "There will be no mail delivery but packages will be delivered."
Are Courier Services Running on Columbus Day?
Customers can still access several courier services on Columbus Day.
UPS
UPS store branches are open on Columbus Day and UPS pickup and delivery services are also available.
UPS SurePost and UPS Mail Innovations deliveries will require an "additional business days' time in transit" due to the holiday, UPS says.
FedEx
Most FedEx services are open on Columbus Day. This includes FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Home Delivery, FedEx Office, FedEx Critical, FedEx Freight as well as FedEx Trade Networks.
FedEx SmartPost will be available as a modified service, which means deliveries may be delayed due to the observance of Columbus Day, FedEx says.
Which Other Holidays Will the USPS Be Closed For?
The USPS will also be closed on some other upcoming holidays. They include Veterans Day (November 11) and Thanksgiving Day (November 25). Both are federal holidays, when workers including USPS staff get to enjoy time off.
Christmas Day (December 25) is also a federal holiday and USPS workers get that day off. Since Christmas this year falls on a Saturday, this year December 24 will be treated as a holiday, so mail services will likely go undelivered on that day.
Below are the other federal holidays throughout the year on which the USPS is closed:
- New Year's Day (January 1)
- The birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (third Monday in January)
- President's Day/Washington's birthday (third Monday in February)
- Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
- Independence Day (July 4)
- Labor Day (first Monday in September)
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Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in travel and health.
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