/EINPresswire.com/ -- MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/30/15 -- With 317 million packages expected to be shipped worldwide between November 27 and December 24, FedEx is doing its part in giving Santa a helping hand this holiday season. To make packing and shipping holiday gifts easy for Canadians, FedEx Office, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), is offering advice on how to prepare and pack precious holiday shipments this holiday season.

"The care and sentiment we put into our holiday gifts should not end with the purchase of the gift but, more importantly, with proper packaging and delivery," said Brie Carere, vice president of Marketing and Customer Experience with FedEx Express Canada. "Our colleagues at FedEx Office are specialists in ensuring every gift is professionally packaged while matching each shipment with a delivery service that meets every Canadian's timeline and budget."

In order to ensure your holiday shipments are packaged properly, FedEx Office offers the following suggestions:

--  Tip 1: Prep Your Item
    Start by looking at your gift - is it sturdy or fragile? Does it have
    square edges, i.e., is it shaped like the box it's in? Use cushioning
    wrap to "square off" any odd angles to protect them during shipment. If
    your item is shallow or hollow inside, like a vase or bowl, fill that
    space to protect it - packing peanuts, cushioning wrap or firmly
    crumpled paper all work.


--  Tip 2: Choose the Best Box
    Use a new, sturdy box that's a few inches larger than your gift on all
    sides to allow for plenty of cushioning. If reusing a box, make sure
    it's still strong enough to stand up to shipping (no torn flaps, no
    holes or corner dents, no water-damage, etc.). And be sure to remove all
    old shipping labels.


--  Tip 3: Cushioning Is Key
    Protect your gifts by using at least 1 inch layers (preferably 2 inches)
    of cushioning around the item - top, bottom and all four sides.


--  Tip 4: Fragile Gift? Double It
    When you've got a breakable item to ship, use two boxes. Cushion your
    item with at least three inches of packing peanuts or other cushioning
    material, and seal it in a box. Place that box within a second, slightly
    larger box, with another layer of cushioning. All that added padding is
    added protection for your fragile gift.


--  Tip 5: Pack In the Address
    Sometimes winter weather can streak or remove shipping labels and
    paperwork can get lost from pouches. Just in case, always put an extra
    shipping label, business card, or letterhead with the shipper and
    recipient's address information inside your box before sealing things
    up. You can also write it on the inside flap of the box.


--  Tip 6: Seal It Tight
    Keeping winter rain, sleet and snow out of your box is easy. Just seal
    all the flaps and seams using proper packing tape that is at least 2" (5
    cm) wide. No duct tape or masking tape, please! Bonus Pro Tip: Just
    remember to make the shape of an "H" when taping seams.


--  Tip 7: Keep Your Wrappings Inside the Box
    Please don't wrap your shipping box in anything. FedEx loves that you
    wrap your gifts beautifully, but these items can get caught in FedEx
    sorting machines, so it's best to keep the wrappings inside the box!


--  Tip 8: Label It Right
    One of the best ways to ensure your package gets to its destination on
    time is with proper labeling. When using a FedEx shipping label,
    airbill, or airway bill, fill it out completely and accurately. When
    using a FedEx shipping label, run your hand firmly over it to make sure
    it's secure on the box. When using a pouch, make sure the peel-off strip
    has been removed and the flap is firmly sealed. Place labels or pouches
    on the largest surface of the box, avoiding corners, edges, and seams.


--  Tip 9: When In Doubt, Call in the Experts
    Some items are simply too precious to trust to less experienced hands.
    Or maybe your gift is just a really odd shape and size. Whatever the
    case, if you don't know how to pack it, the specially trained team
    members at FedEx Office can help with the Pack and Ship option.


--  Tip 10: Plan Ahead to Avoid Deadlines
    FedEx is known for its speed and reliability, but we encourage our
    customers not to wait until the last moment to ship their holiday gifts
    to friends and family.

FedEx Office has 25 locations throughout Canada offering a full suite of services including printing, packing, as well as domestic and international shipping services with FedEx Ground® and FedEx Express®. Find the nearest FedEx Office near you, please visit www.fedex.ca or visit one of the locations below:

West Pender             Vancouver       779 West Pender St.
Langley Crossing        Langley         6339 200 St.
West Broadway           Vancouver       1900 West Broadway Ave.
Landsowne Mall          Richmond        4651 N 3 Rd. U-150
Fairmont Waterfront     Vancouver       900 Canada Place
Park Royal              West Vancouver  701 Park Royal North
Spring Garden PL        Halifax         1469 Brenton St.
Hurontario St           Mississauga     4553 Hurontario St.
Highway 7               Markham         3150 Hwy 7 East
Sheppard Branch         North York      4804 Yonge St.
Royal Centre            Vaughan         7540 Weston Rd Unit 2
Meadowvale              Mississauga     6974 Financial Dr.
Bloor Street            Toronto         459 Bloor St W.
Waterloo-University Ave Waterloo        170 University Ave W.
Toronto-University Av   Toronto         505 University Ave.
London Ontario St       London          275 Dundas St.
Yonge St                Toronto         2430 Yonge St
Westin Harbor Castle    Toronto         1 Habour Sq
Resolution Ave Steeles  Brampton        60 Resolution Dr
Sheraton Toronto        Toronto         123 Queen Street West
Oakville-Cornwall       Oakville        487 Cornwall Road, Unit E-9
Stockyards-St. Clair W  Toronto         1970 St. Clair Avenue West, Unit 105
Scarborough-Steeles Ave Scarborough     5981 Steeles Avenue East
London-Sunningdale
Village                 London          595 Fanshawe Park Road,
Burlington-Appleby
Village                 Burlington      491 Appleby Line, Unit 8

About FedEx Office

FedEx Office® has more than 1,800 stores and locations in the U.S. and Canada, providing convenient access to printing and shipping expertise with reliable service. The company's network features retail stores, centralized production centers, corporate on-site print centers, and on-site business centers at hotels, convention centers and universities. Services include copying and digital printing, professional finishing, document creation, direct mail, signs and graphics, computer rental, free Wi-Fi and corporate print solutions. In addition, the company offers FedEx Express® and FedEx Ground® shipping, Hold at Location, and packing services backed by the FedEx Packing Pledge®. For more information, please visit www.fedex.com/office

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $48 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 325,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.

Contacts:
James Anderson
Media Relations
FedEx Express Canada
(905) 212-5372
jcanderson@fedex.com