By Michelle Durham and Jericka Duncan

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (CBS) — If you think you are busy gathering holiday gifts for your friends and family, just imagine how busy those responsible for shipping those items are.

“Today we are expecting 17 million packages to come through our system — which is our busiest day ever,” says Fed Ex spokesman Chris Stanley. “That’s about double, or a little more than double, what we normally ship on a day.”

What advice does he have for those who have yet to ship their gifts?

“The earlier you ship, the better,” Stanley tells KYW Newsradio.  “It’s going to be easier for you, for one thing — it’ll be one thing crossed off of your to-do list for the holidays.  And it will help us as well, to get it there on a timely basis.  But we will deliver all the packages that are supposed to be delivered on Christmas Eve by then.”

Stanley says if you are shipping food items, check the company’s web site for the policies and procedures to help you get that package there safely.

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