Forgot to mail the annual fruitcake to Aunt Bethany?

It’s not too late to get that gift posted in time to beat Santa to the door.

Mark your calendars with these last-minute shipping dates for the U.S. Postal Service, UPS and FedEx. And remember, the later you wait, the more expensive the services get.

For the U.S. Postal Service, Monday, Dec. 17, is the last day to mail something Global Express Guaranteed. Thursday, Dec. 20, is the deadline for first-class mail; Friday, Dec. 21, is the last day for Priority Mail, and Saturday, Dec. 22, is it for Express Mail to make it in time.

The post office is no longer confined to a post office. You can go online to buy and print shipping labels — go to usps.com/holiday. To request pickup from a home or office, go online to usps.com/pickup/.

At UPS, Thursday, Dec. 20, is the last pickup day for air, international and ground packages to arrive in time. Second-day air packages picked up Thursday, Dec. 20, will arrive by Monday, Dec. 24.

If you ship via UPS on Friday, Dec. 21, next-day air packages will arrive Monday, Dec. 24; second-day air packages will get in one day late, Wednesday, Dec. 26.

UPS will be closed Christmas Day.

Go to www.ups.com.

The folks at FedEx promise to get a package sent Monday, Dec. 17, delivered in time by ground or home delivery. If you send by Wednesday, Dec. 19, FedEx will deliver a package before Christmas via Express Saver.

If you send something Thursday, Dec. 20, it will have to go by FedEx two-day service. The laggards posting a present Saturday, Dec. 22, will have to pay the price for overnight delivery.

See www.fedex.com/us/.

And the companies want you to remember to pack items well, firmly but not too tightly in a box with rolled newspaper, bubble wrap or foam peanuts for protection. Use packing tape — not masking or duct tape or string — to close the box.

Remove batteries and pack them beside the item. Use quality address labels and write with permanent markers.