Veterans Day, which this year is on Monday, November 11, is a federal holiday celebrating those who served in the U.S. military. Many stores and businesses will shut down, and mail could be impacted as well.
Veterans Day has been a holiday since 1918, when both sides fighting in World War I reached an armistice. The holiday is differentiated from Memorial Day, which honors the lives lost while serving in the military.
Is mail delivered on Veterans Day?
While the day means many Americans will get time off work, it could impact your regularly scheduled mail. The United States Post Office will be closed for the holiday, so Americans were encouraged to plan ahead to get your mail and packages sent on time.
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You'll still be able to access your online USPS account. This enables you to schedule package pickups, print shipping labels and order stamps and other supplies. Those who want to send letters can place them in their normal mailbox to be collected Tuesday.
While there will be no mail delivery and all post offices will be closed, there will still be some delivery services available through FedEx and UPS.
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While FedEx offices will be open according to normal hours, most of the shipping services will not be available Monday. That excludes FedEx Home Delivery and FedEx Custom Critical, which remain available.
At UPS stores, customers can expect normal hours, with traditional pickup and delivery available throughout the day. That includes UPS Forwarding, UPS Domestic Ground, Air and International services along with UPS Express Critical.
Keep in mind, though, that UPS' SurePost and Mail Innovations will be delayed by a day because of Veterans Day.
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All government agencies that are deemed non-essential will also be closed for the holiday. All federal employees will also get the day off.
Likewise, most banks will be closed, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo. However, customers can still access their funds via ATMs.
The New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq and Federal Reserve all shut down for the holiday as well.
While some mom-and-pop stores and restaurants might close for the holiday, top retailers like Target, Walmart and Kroger will remain open with regular hours. If in doubt, you should call the store or restaurant in question before you head over.
Some schools remain open for Veterans Day, but specific scheduling could differ based on where you attend. It will vary by local district.
Why is Veterans Day celebrated on November 11th?
Veterans Day has been a holiday since 1918, when both sides fighting in World War I reached an armistice. The holiday is differentiated from Memorial Day, which honors the lives lost while serving in the military.
The holiday was originally known as Armistice Day, and it's meant to remember the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. This was the official time both sides in WWI came to an armistice.
In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower changed the name of Armistice Day to Veterans Day.
Why do we celebrate Veterans Day?
Veterans Day is a way to celebrate all the Americans who serve in the U.S. military.
While it's been 70 years since Armistice Day turned into Veterans Day, it's meant to commemorate the pride and sacrifice members of the military make day in and day out.
Because it's designated as a federal holiday, many government offices and schools will shut down, in addition to your regularly scheduled mail from the United States Post Office.