Get Your Gifts Mailed by These Dates to Make It Home for the Holidays

As we near the most wonderful time of the year, the United States Postal Service is getting ready for its busiest.

USPS has released its recommended mailing and shipping dates to get packages in time for Christmas.

For most of the country, gift givers and shoppers are encouraged to send by the following dates.

2025 Holiday Shipping Dates for the U.S.

  • USPS Ground Advantage service: Dec. 17
  • First-Class Mail: Dec. 17
  • Priority Mail: Dec. 18
  • Priority Mail Express: Dec. 20

For those sending across the shore, some ship-by dates are a little earlier.

2025 Holiday Shipping Dates for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories

  • USPS Ground Advantage service: Dec. 16
  • First-Class Mail: Dec. 17
  • Priority Mail: Dec. 18
  • Priority Mail Express: Dec. 20

In 2024, USPS handled as many as 1 billion pieces of mail every other day through the holiday season.

Thanksgiving Turkey Cooking: Top 7 Methods Most Recommended by Experts

Top 7 Methods Most Recommended by Experts

Here are the best ways to cook your turkey according to the foodies:

  1. Roasting
    The classic move. Experts still swear by roasting, whether you cook the bird whole or break it into parts for faster, more even results. A meat thermometer is key—don’t trust wiggly drumsticks or “clear juices.” Cutting the turkey up before roasting also frees precious oven space for all those sides.

  2. Braising
    If dry turkey is your seasonal nemesis, braising brings the fix. Simmering pieces in broth or cider delivers tender, fall-apart meat and next-level leftovers. Some experts even mix roasting and braising for peak juiciness.

  3. Wet Brining
    A salty soak infuses deep flavor and guarantees moisture. It’s not technically a cooking method, but pros insist it transforms lean turkey into a juicy, well-seasoned bird after 12–24 hours.

  4. Spatchcocking
    Remove the backbone, flatten the bird, and boom—faster cooking, crispier skin, and more even heat. It’s a favorite for cutting time without sacrificing flavor.

  5. Dry Brine
    Skip the bucket of liquid and rub salt and spices directly onto the skin. After 24–48 hours, you get deeper flavor and crackling skin with less mess.

  6. Smoker
    Low-and-slow smoking delivers big flavor, tender meat, and frees up the oven. Wood chips let you play with taste profiles.

  7. Grill
    Take the turkey outside and treat the grill like an oven. You get smoke, crisp skin, and extra kitchen space—plus a little peace and quiet.

Father’s Day 2025 Food Deals for Dad

Father’s Day 2025 food deals and freebies

The Krazy Coupon Lady — an online media company that aggregates deals, discounts and coupons — also has a list of food chains that confirmed Father’s Day 2025 deals.

Here’s the list of confirmed Father’s Day deals for 2025, fromThe Krazy Coupon Lady:

  • Burger King: Royal Perks members can get their dads a buy-one-get-one-free Whopper deal at Burger King on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 15.
  • IHOP: If you order pickup or delivery at IHOP this Father’s Day, you’ll save 20% on your first online order when you use promo code IHOP20 at checkout. The offer is valid for a one-time use through June 30, 2025.
  • Twin Peaks: On Sunday, June 15, Twin Peaks is offering a special Father’s Day $12 cheeseburger bundle (includes a non-alcoholic beverage).
  • Baja Fresh: Club Baja Rewards members can save $2 on purchases of $10 or more at Baja Fresh when you order online or in-app. Offer valid through June 15.
  • BJ’s Restaurant and Brewery: If you dine in, your dad could receive a free, limited-edition pint glass, while supplies last. Plus if your dad is a loyalty member, he’ll score a VIP 20% discount he can use on future dine-in orders between June 17 – July 7.
  • Buffalo Wild Wings: When you order online or in-app on Father’s Day, you can enjoy 20 traditional wings and fries for only $19.99.
  • Denny’s: Diners staying at home on Father’s Day weekend can enjoy free delivery on Denny’s online orders from June 13 – 15. You can also get $10 off any $30 online order when you use promo code RADDAD at checkout online or in-app.
  • Raising Cane’s: The fried chicken restaurant is offering a buy-one-get-one free box combo deal to Caniac Club Rewards members.

Yelp’s Top 25 Burger Chains in the U.S.—Just in Time for International Burger Day

Get ready to celebrate International Burger Day (May 28) the American way—with a deep dive into Yelp’s top 25 burger chains in the U.S. Whether you’re loyal to a regional classic or always chasing the juiciest bite nationwide, Yelp’s list is here to settle some beef.

To qualify, each chain had to have over 100 locations, operate in multiple states, and be primarily labeled under “burgers” on Yelp. According to the site, the list blends iconic staples with rising stars—and yes, the secret menu lovers will be pleased.

Here’s the Top 25, according to Yelp:

1.  In-N-Out Burger

2. The Habit Burger Grill

3. Shake Shack

4. Culver’s

5. Islands Restaurants

6. Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

7. Five Guys Burgers & Fries

8. Wayback Burgers

9. MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes

10. Red Robin

11. Jack in the Box

12.  Cook Out

13. BurgerFi

14. Whataburger

15. Wahlburgers

16. Smashburger

17. McDonald’s

18. Sonic Drive-In

19. Burger King

20. White Castle

21. Fatburger

22. Wendy’s

23. Carl’s Jr.

24. Checkers / Rally’s

25. Steak ’n Shake

Regional breakdowns?

  • In-N-Out rules the West

  • Culver’s is king in the Midwest and South

  • Shake Shack dominates the Northeast

Pass the napkins. This list is stacked. 🍟🔥

Your Pet’s Microchip May Not Work Now

After a national pet microchip and registration company shut down, pet owners are being encouraged to reregister their pet’s microchip.

The Texas-based microchip and registration company Save This Life went inactive, according to Texas tax records. Calls to the phone number listed on its website lead to an out of service message. Pets listed on Save This Life’s pet registry were delisted from the American Animal Hospital Association’s national database.

The American Animal Hospital Association keeps a central database of all the chip numbers.  But pets registered through Save This Life aren’t in it anymore.

The good news is your pet’s microchip is fine.  You just have to re-register it through another company.  A few do it for free.  Others charge around $20.

Your vet might have your pet’s chip number on file, or they can scan it.  If you have it written down, you can check it yourself at AAHA.org.  All the bad chips start with one of these two numbers:  991 or 900164.

A pet microchip, about the size of a large grain of rice, uses passive radio-frequency identification (RFID). When lost pets are brought to shelters, a scanner can get the information on the microchip and allow the shelter workers to identify the pet owner.

Pet owners can check with their veterinarian, many of whom have scanners and records of the pet’s microchip.

While Save This Life has gone dark, the microchip would still work. That number can be registered in more than one database.

6 Things Parents Should Stop Expecting From Their Grown Children

Congrats, parents! You raised fully functioning adults. But if you’re still expecting them to follow your rulebook, you might be setting yourself up for disappointment. Let’s be real—times change, people grow, and clinging to outdated expectations only pushes them away.
 
1. To live the same way as you
Just because you love a suburban lawn and 7 a.m. church doesn’t mean they do. They’re not your clones—let them live their lives.
 
2. To share your opinions
Times have changed. They aren’t interested in hearing how things were “better back in the day.” Respect their views, or get ready to be ignored.
 
3. To uphold family traditions without change
That annual Thanksgiving dinner at your house? Yeah, that might not be a thing forever. New traditions aren’t a betrayal—just life moving forward.
 
4. To always spend time with you
They have jobs, partners, and social lives. You don’t need to see them every holiday. Missing a dinner doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten you exist.
 
5. To express gratitude a certain way
You raised them out of love, not for payback. Stop expecting a standing ovation for doing what parents are supposed to do.
 
6. To take care of you as you age
Your kid isn’t your retirement plan. Get a financial advisor instead of assuming they’ll put their life on hold to be your personal nurse.
 
Final Thought
Want a close relationship? Ditch the guilt trips, drop the expectations, and enjoy them as adults—not extensions of yourself.