This time of year people seem to expect major shipping delays when ordering online. This may be true for some of the huge brick-and-mortar stores and their online sites, but generally online shopping runs no more than a day or two behind the usual schedule.
People ask us "Can I get this by December 19th?" when they are ordering on the 5th... well, we pack orders Monday through Friday and generally we ship within 24-48 hours of receiving an order. Most orders go by USPS Priority even if we quoted UPS Ground rates, because we use the USPS Priority Flat rate box whenever possible. So yes, if you ordered on the 5th (a Saturday) you will probably get your order by the next Wednesday (the 9th!). Exceptions would be very bulky or heavy orders sent out by UPS Ground, which can take up to 5 business days. We ship from Massachusetts, so West Coast orders could take 7 calendar days to arrive. However, 80% of our orders to the West Coast are sent in a Priority Flat Rate box, if they fit.
When in doubt, just ask us. Put the date you need it by in the message field of your order form. We usually will reply within hours and tell you when it will ship and when it should arrive.
We want everybody to get their coffee and tea on time. If you have any unusual requirements just let us know!