The question of, “Will mail be delivered on Columbus Day?” is answered with a giant “No”, though there are exceptions with some package delivery services. All post offices and federal offices of any kind are closed for the holiday, which means that no businesses, nor homes will get the mail. This also counts out USPS packages. According to USPS, because Columbus Day is a federal holiday, all federal offices are closed.
However, there are a few states that do not honor the holiday. In fact, some states observe an alternate holiday, titled Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Some of the states celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day include Minnesota, Vermont, Alaska, and South Dakota. Columbus Day is not a public holiday in California, Alaska, Nevada or Hawaii, and the list has expanded to include other states as well, according to Office Holidays. The full list is:
Alaska
Arkansas
California
Delaware
Florida
Hawaii
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Nevada
North Carolina
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
Wyoming
While there is no mail delivery today, you may still receive packages from FedEx and UPS on Columbus Day. According to UPS, business will run as usual on Columbus Day, Monday, October 8, 2018. FedEx reported that it is also open for business on Columbus Day this year, but home delivery will not be running. According to Amazon, there may be delays in shipping for Columbus Day, so don’t panic if your package has not yet arrived at your home.
Columbus Day is always on the second Monday in October, every year. For the list of Columbus Day dates for the next few years, read on below:
2019 – Monday, October 14th
2020 – Monday, October 12th
2021 – Monday, October 11th
2022 – Monday, October 10th
Unlike post offices, most restaurants and stores will be open. In addition, some banks will be open, while others remain closed.
For those wondering if schools are open or closed, it’s important to check with your local school district or call your school directly to find out if they are observing the holiday. Many schools are closed for the day, while others resume their normal schedule. Be sure to check with your school’s official website or social media accounts if you are unsure. Some schools post closure information on their Facebook and Twitter pages as well. And, that private schools often operate via different schedules than public schools.
Other holidays on which schools are closed include Christmas, New Year’s, Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Thanksgiving. It’s also good to keep in mind that some schools may give up holidays like Columbus Day when they have used too many snow, flood or heat days in that year. Or, they shorten their holiday break schedule to make up for the days that the students have missed.
The United States has been honoring Columbus Day for centuries, as the holiday commemorates the voyage of Christopher Columbus to the Americas in 1492. Many Italian-Americans attend church services and parades on Columbus Day. Originally, the holiday was held every year on October 12th, but in 1971, it was changed to every second Monday.