Just to reiterate what Kent said, do not wait till the last minute. Mail volume is already picking up and will get worse especially the last week before Christmas. I recommend shipping sooner than later so that you do not get something mis shipped or take a road trip in the wrong direction (and it does happen with sorting when it gets crazy busy). Another thing to consider is your recipient may want that Christmas cigar to rest after its long journey before firing that cigar up over the holidays.
Happy Holidays!