Yes, we know - Easter is still 2 months away. You're probably thinking 'I have plenty of time!' while sipping your morning coffee in sunny California. Meanwhile, your package is NOT going to teleport itself across the Atlantic Ocean. π’
Here's the cold, hard truth: if you want that Easter basket to actually arrive for Easter (and not become a surprise summer gift), you need to start packing NOW. Unless you want to explain to Babcia why her chocolate bunny arrived in July... melted.
β° WHY THE RUSH? LET'S DO THE MATH
Easter 2026: April 5th
Sea shipping time: 4-6 weeks
Your procrastination time: Running out! β οΈ
If you're sending by sea (the cheap option that we all love), your package needs to leave California by MID-FEBRUARY. That's basically... NOW.
Think of it this way: while your package is slowly cruising across the Pacific, through the Panama Canal, and across the Atlantic, you'll have time to:
β’ Watch 3 seasons of your favorite show
β’ Forget you even sent a package
β’ Receive a 'gdzie jest moja paczka?' text from mom
IMPORTANT DATES - WRITE THESE DOWN!
π° Easter Sunday: April 5, 2026
π£ Easter Monday (Lany PoniedziaΕek): April 6, 2026
βοΈ Last day for AIR packages: March 20-25 (for the procrastinators)
π’ Last day for SEA packages: Mid-February (that's NOW, people!)
Still reading? Good. Let's get that package moving!
LOCAL DROP-OFF LOCATIONS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Great news! You don't have to ship your package to the East Coast first. Here are LOCAL drop-off points right here in SoCal:
AEC PARCEL - SOCAL LOCATIONS
π Website: aecparcel.com
π¦ 20+ drop-off points in Southern California!
ORANGE COUNTY
β’ Orange: 1712 N. Tustin Ave., 92865 | (714) 974-3620
β’ Garden Grove: 10382 Stanford Ave., 92840 | (714) 539-6334
β’ Laguna Hills: 24771 Alicia Pkwy, 92653 | (949) 770-3111
β’ Irvine: 828 Quail Meadow, 92603 | (714) 249-8350
β’ Costa Mesa: 2052 Newport Blvd #13, 92627 | (714) 404-2350
β’ Placentia: 1057 E. Imperial Hwy, 92870 | (714) 524-1177
LOS ANGELES AREA
β’ Wilmington: 333 N. Marine Ave., 90744 | (310) 872-3599
β’ West Hollywood: 7551 Santa Monica Blvd, 90046 | (747) 272-6655
β’ Santa Monica: 1207 Wilshire Blvd, 90403 | (310) 393-2399
β’ Long Beach: 1001 Redondo Ave #2, 90804 | (562) 284-6685
β’ Cerritos: 17100 Norwalk Blvd #110, 90703 | (310) 867-5635
β’ Marina del Rey: 4750 Lincoln Blvd #352, 90292 | (951) 314-7741
β’ Tarzana: 6023 Reseda Blvd, 91356 | (661) 445-3812
β’ North Hills: 16029 Community St., 91343 | (818) 644-2833
INLAND EMPIRE
β’ Hemet: 409 E. Thornton Ave., 92543 | (951) 692-6270
SAN DIEGO
β’ San Diego: 11470 Westonhill Dr, 92126 | (661) 468-3823
β’ San Diego: 2055 Morena Blvd, 92110 | (619) 206-7879
AEC Pricing
β’ Starting at $0.85/lb
β’ Express and Economy options
β’ Insurance: Up to $100 included FREE
β’ Warehouse in Poland = faster final delivery!
POLONEZ EXPRESS
π Website: polonez.express
π Phone: (908) 862-1700
Polonez has 250+ locations across the USA including California! Enter your zip code at polonez.express/locations to find the nearest agent.
California cities with Polonez agents
β’ Alhambra, Cerritos, Costa Mesa
β’ Oxnard, San Marcos, Tarzana
β’ And more!
Current Promotion
β’ $15 OFF sea shipments over 40 lbs (until Feb 14, 2026)!
PLANET EXPRESS - GARDENA, CA π
π 17224 S. Figueroa St, Gardena, CA 90248
π Phone: (424) 329-3470
π Website: planetexpress.com
β° Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-1pm
LOCAL California company! Great for online shopping consolidation.
How it works
β’ Get a FREE US address in Gardena, CA
β’ Shop at any US store (Amazon, eBay, Walmart, etc.)
β’ They consolidate multiple packages into ONE shipment
β’ Save 50-80% on shipping by combining packages!
Ships to all cities in Poland: Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Wroclaw, Poznan and more.
MEEST
π Website: us.meest.com
π¦ Drop-off: Any UPS, FedEx, or USPS location
Pricing
β’ Starting at $0.84/lb to Warsaw
β’ AIR: 7-14 days, minimum $32.99
β’ SEA: 3-5 weeks, minimum $40.80
β’ Max weight: 66 lbs (30 kg) per package
β’ Packages under β¬45 are duty-free!
No local agent? No problem! Just drop off at any UPS/FedEx and they'll handle the rest.
USPS - US POST OFFICE
π Any Post Office location!
π Website: usps.com/international
Your local Post Office can ship directly to Poland! No need for specialized agents.
Priority Mail International
β’ Flat Rate Small Box: $32.65 (up to 4 lbs)
β’ Flat Rate Medium/Large Box: Starting at $43.55 (up to 20 lbs)
β’ Regular packages: Up to 70 lbs
β’ Delivery: 6-10 business days
β’ Insurance: Up to $200 included!
β’ Tracking included
Priority Mail Express International (fastest)
β’ Starting at $62.70
β’ Delivery: 3-5 business days
Pro tip: USPS Flat Rate boxes are FREE at any Post Office!
DNIPRO LLC
π Website: dniprollc.com
π¦ Warehouses in Delaware (tax-free!) and New Jersey
Pricing
β’ SEA: $0.79/lb + $17 delivery fee
β’ AIR: $1.99/lb + $17 delivery fee
β’ Delivery: As fast as 7 days!
β’ Insurance: $60 included, extra 2.5% for higher values
Bonus: Shop at US stores tax-free using their Delaware address!
PLUS EXPRESS
π Website: plusexpress.pl
π Contact via website chat
Pickup from anywhere in California! They come to your home or office.
Services
β’ Air and sea shipping
β’ Cars, motorcycles, boats
β’ Pallets and containers
β’ Resettlement property
CHOPIN PARCEL SERVICE
π Website: chopinparcel.com
π Phone: +1 (413) 363-0367
π§ Email: office@chopinparcel.com
Home pickup available anywhere in the USA - including California!
Services
β’ Air and sea shipping to Poland and 30+ European countries
β’ Vehicle transportation
β’ Container shipping
β’ Resettlement goods
How it works
β’ Order pickup online at chopinparcel.com
β’ They pick up the package from your home
β’ Drop-off also available at UPS locations
β’ Insurance options: $100-$600
WHAT TO SEND FOR EASTER?
Ah, the eternal question. What do you send to a country that now has everything? π€
Here's a secret: it's not about WHAT you send - it's that you sent ANYTHING. But since you asked...
β
SAFE TO SEND (a.k.a. 'things that will make you the favorite child'):
β’ Chocolate and candy (American brands are a hit!)
β’ Coffee and tea
β’ Vitamins and supplements
β’ Clothing and shoes
β’ Electronics (phones, tablets)
β’ Cosmetics and skincare
β’ Books and magazines
β’ Toys for children
β οΈ CHECK RESTRICTIONS
β’ Food items (some have limits)
β’ Alcohol (usually prohibited)
β’ Medications (prescription drugs restricted)
β’ Lithium batteries (special rules)
β PROHIBITED
β’ Perishable foods
β’ Live plants
β’ Weapons
β’ Flammable materials
PRO TIPS FOR CHEAPER SHIPPING
(Because we know you want to send love, not your entire paycheck πΈ)
- USE LOCAL DROP-OFF - Save money by dropping off locally instead of shipping to East Coast first!
- COMPARE PRICES - Use online calculators. A 20 lb package can cost $40-$200 depending on carrier!
- SHIP BY SEA - 3-4x cheaper than air. Plan ahead for future holidays.
- COMBINE WITH FRIENDS - Split costs by sending one larger package.
- PACK SMART - Use clothes as padding instead of bubble wrap.
CUSTOMS & DUTIES
β’ Packages under β¬45 (~$50) = NO CUSTOMS DUTIES
β’ Packages β¬45-β¬150 = Small fees possible
β’ Packages over β¬150 = Expect 10-20% customs duty
Always include customs declaration (CN23) with contents, value, and whether it's a gift.
MISSED THE DEADLINE? DON'T PANIC! π
OK, so you read this article too late. It happens to the best of us. Here are your 'oops I forgot' options:
β’ ALLEGRO.PL - Buy online, deliver directly in Poland!
β’ AMAZON.PL - Amazon now operates in Poland!
β’ WISE/PAYPAL - Send money, let family buy what they need
YOUR ACTION PLAN (a.k.a. 'stop reading, start packing!')
- THIS WEEK: Stop scrolling Instagram. Gather items, choose carrier.
- BY FEBRUARY 15: Sea package OUT THE DOOR π’
- BY MARCH 1: Air package ready (still affordable)
- MARCH 15-20: LAST CHANCE air packages (expensive but desperate times...)
- APRIL 5: Wielkanoc! π£ Your family opens the package. Tears of joy. You're the hero.
WesoΕych ΕwiΔ t! Happy Easter to your family in Poland!
Now close this article and GO PACK THAT BOX! π¦
KNOW A SHIPPING SERVICE WE MISSED?
If you use a different shipping company from Southern California, please share in the comments! We'd love to add more options to this guide.
And if you OWN a shipping business that sends packages to Poland - add your company to our Business Directory! Help the Polish community find you faster. Visit poloniasocal.com/business to list your business.
Sources: AEC Parcel, Polonez Express, Meest USA, Planet Express, Dnipro LLC, Plus Express, Chopin Parcel, USPS
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