GUIDE
We mail the grandkids' Christmas presents every year. How can we know they arrived and see them opened?
By the seenow! teamLast updated:
For Christmas 2026, USPS recommends mailing by December 17 for Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail in the lower 48. Ship with tracking and text the tracking number to 28777 so the delivery updates come to your own phone. Then ask the family for one short clip of each child opening your gift.
Note: This article reflects information available at the time of publication. Programs and services may change, so please check official sources for the latest details.
WHY
Why this happens
For grandparents who live far away, mailing presents is part of the holiday. You pick the gifts, wrap them, stand in line at the post office, and then nothing. Christmas morning happens in someone else's living room, and you may not even hear whether the box made it, let alone see a face light up.
Usually nobody means to leave you out. Christmas morning with small children is loud and fast. Paper flies, gifts get mixed up, and the parents are refereeing. By the time things settle, the moment you were waiting for is over, and a thank-you call slips to next week. Two practical problems sit underneath: not knowing when the package arrives, and nobody being assigned to film your gift.
| Service | Mail by |
|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage | Thursday, December 17 |
| First-Class Mail | Thursday, December 17 |
| Priority Mail | Friday, December 18 |
| Priority Mail Express | Saturday, December 19 |
If the grandkids live in Alaska or Hawaii, or you do, allow much more time. USPS says Ground Advantage packages between the contiguous U.S. and Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the territories have a service expectation of 10 or more days, so check the estimated delivery date at the counter and mail earlier if needed.
HOW TO
What you can do starting today
Mail early enough that the box arrives before the rushNo app needed
The USPS dates above are the latest recommended days, not ideal ones. Mailing a few days earlier gives the parents time to hide the box and put your gifts under the tree with your name clearly on the tag. A gift tag that says who it is from is what makes it possible to film the right moment later.
Get the tracking texts on your own phoneNo app needed
Most domestic packages include USPS Tracking. Text the tracking number to 28777 (2USPS) and USPS replies with the latest status. Add a keyword after the number, such as AL, to get delivery activity updates. This works on any phone that can send a text, including a flip phone. You can also sign up on the USPS Tracking page under Text & Email Updates. Requests stay active for two weeks and end once the box is delivered, so you will know the day it lands without having to ask.
Source: USPS: USPS Text Tracking FAQs / USPS FAQ: USPS Tracking – The Basics
Ask for one clip per child, of your gift onlyNo app needed
Instead of asking "send us pictures," ask for something small and specific: a few seconds of each child opening the gift from you. Tell the parents which box is yours. A short, defined request is much easier to keep in the middle of Christmas morning than a general one.
Set the thank-you for later in the dayNo app needed
A call in the middle of gift opening rarely works. Suggest a short call after lunch or the next day, when the kids can show you the toy and tell you about it. For older kids, a drawing or a thank-you card mailed back in January gives them something to make for you.
WITH SEENOW!
Doing it with seenow!
seenow! is a private family app where everyone takes a short video, about 2 seconds a day. It fits the opening moment well, with one detail you should know about.
- The parents can film the opening with the seenow! camera, front and back cameras at once, so you see both the gift and the child's face. Short 2-second clips are easy to take while handing out the next present.
- When they post, you get a notification, so you do not have to keep checking.
- To see that day's clips, you post your own clip that day first; until then they are blurred. Clips from earlier days can be watched anytime. A quick shot of your own tree or coffee cup on Christmas morning is enough.
What seenow! can’t do
- seenow! does not track packages. Use USPS Tracking for that.
- Each clip is short, so a long unwrapping with a speech is better recorded with the phone's regular camera.
Core features are free.
POINT
Things to watch for in this situation
Don't treat silence as a lack of thanks
In a house with small children, a missed thank-you is usually about chaos, not feelings. Getting the delivery text yourself takes away the worst part of the wait. If you still hear nothing, a light "Did the box get there?" message is enough.
Check the dates again in December
The dates on this page are USPS's recommendations for 2026, published in September. Before you mail, check the USPS holiday shipping page and the estimated delivery date the clerk gives you.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I get USPS tracking updates on a flip phone?
Yes. USPS Text Tracking works by regular text message. Send the tracking number to 28777, and add a keyword such as AL after the number to get delivery activity updates. Texting STOP to 28777 ends all your tracking texts.
What is the last day to mail Christmas presents in 2026?
For delivery by December 25 in the contiguous U.S., USPS recommends December 17 for Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail, December 18 for Priority Mail, and December 19 for Priority Mail Express. Alaska and Hawaii take longer.