Love is in the air … and on the road as UPSers gear up to deliver gifts of love for Valentine’s Day. While jewelry topped last year’s list of Valentine’s gifts, candy remains a popular option too. Online retailers will be busy, with 32% of U.S. consumers saying they plan to purchase their Valentine’s gifts on the web this year.

If your love comes in the form of homemade goodies, check out the #HGEATS Twitter chat on February 8 at noon ET. The UPS Store will join Kimberly Moore (twitter.com/hungrygoddess) as they share tips for packing and shipping food. With sweet thoughts on our mind, we created the following infograph to celebrate one of the sweetest holidays on the calendar.

(click on infographic to see full size)

A couple weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending Entrepreneur magazine’s 2012 Growth Conference in Long Beach, Calif., as a member of The UPS Store team, which sponsored the event.

For the more than 850 entrepreneurs who convened at this year’s Growth Conference, there was an undeniable feeling of optimism and determination to learn and grow their businesses.

I admire entrepreneurs. I know many in my own life and career. Each of The UPS Store franchisees is an entrepreneur in his or her own right. What they do is truly amazing. It takes an enormous amount of courage to chart a path, not knowing where you’ll end up in the end.

The conference kicked off with a keynote address from entrepreneur and small business expert Chris Brogan. I was fortunate to sit at a table with one entrepreneur who was hoping to glean some motivation from the speakers to help her get started with her business.

When Chris took the stage, I knew we were in for a fantastic day of learning and growth. Chris spoke about the hard lessons of being an entrepreneur and what you can do to focus on growth in your business. Being the social media buff that he is, Chris spoke about the importance of focusing on relationships versus transactions within social media, becoming a relationship-minded business. (Watch the complete video of Chris Brogan’s keynote.)

The rest of the day was packed with great content and networking opportunities. Several leading entrepreneurs and small business experts hosted workshop sessions that helped attendees learn how to raise capital to start a business, increase productivity and output, use social media to market to consumers and create consumer passion for your brand. One of our very own franchisees, Gary Williams Jr., was also featured in a panel discussion during one of the workshop sessions.

The highlight of the day was the awards luncheon, where Entrepreneur magazine and The UPS Store awarded the winners of the Entrepreneur of 2011 contest. The most inspiring one came from winner Lee Rhodes, a cancer survivor who founded glassybaby. Lee donates a significant portion of the company’s revenue to help fund treatment to cancer patients. Her goal is to donate 10% of revenue.

Check out the highlights from the entire day.

Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock. The sound of aged wood and brass chime in their package, waiting to be opened and displayed.

These antique beauties eagerly await their turn to proudly sit on the mantle of their new owner’s fireplace. Fragile and beautiful, the clocks from Old Timers Antique Clocks travel across the country, arriving safely to their new homes unscathed and ready for the new year.

For more than 20 years, Kenneth and Susan Markley, owners of Old Timers Antique Clocks, have been buying and selling shelf and tall case floor clocks from all over the world. Visit their website and you will find many American, Dutch, German, French and English antique clocks in excellent condition and ready to trade.

“When we first entered into a relationship with Antique Networking, we had no idea what our business would become,” Kenneth Markley said. “Now, with scores of ‘hits’ every day, our website sales are beyond our fondest dreams and have placed us among the leading antiques clock dealers in the nation.”

Due to the growing demand for their clocks, the Markley’s head to The UPS Store on 4900 Carlisle Pike in Mechanicsburg, Penn., where franchisee Tim Elder and his crew carefully pack and ship the clocks to their new homes.

“Throughout the years, we have shipped our clocks using Tim Elder’s The UPS Store center,” Kenneth Markley said. “Tim professionally packs each clock himself, using double-boxing to make sure every piece is delivered safely. Their expertise in careful and appropriate packing has resulted in flawless results through the years. To date, Tim and his staff have packed and shipped more than 800 clocks for us and in 2012, we hope to ship many more!”

After a decade of shipping clocks with Tim and his team, the Markley’s have become a part of The UPS Store family. The Markley’s even have their own tally sheet in the back office to keep track of every clock they ship.

“The Markley’s are like an institution here,” Elder said. “When Ken comes in, everyone gets excited to see what type of antique clock we’ll be shipping since many of them require custom made boxes. We look forward to using our experience and creativity to pack each and every clock in such a way that it arrives in perfect condition.”

Obviously, the Markleys’ Old Timers Antique Clocks and Tim Elder’s The UPS Store location are living up to our favorite motto: small business helping small business. Keep on tickin’ into 2012!

The holidays are the perfect season to upgrade to UPS My Choice Premium Membership! Available to customers across the United States, UPS My Choice helps avoid the disappointment and hassle of missing a home delivery by giving YOU control of how UPS will deliver those tasty gingerbread cookies from Aunt Sally the day before they arrive.

Premium Membership has it privileges…

Q: I have to pick up my Christmas tree and holiday décor to deck the halls. Can I select what time my package will be delivered?

A: No problem, UPS provides an approximate 4-hour delivery time, but by upgrading to Premium Membership you have the flexibility of a 2-hour Confirmed Delivery Window.

What’s more, you can have peace of mind by providing “leave at” instructions so that your driver knows where to safely place you package.

Q: What if I needed to reroute package so that my spouse can pick it up?

A: You’ve got options! Have the package delivered to The UPS Store retail location nearest you, to another address or reschedule delivery at a time that’s convenient for your spouse. It’s that easy.

No one knows better than Joe Montana that timing is everything. Check it out!

Go to www.ups.com/mychoice/pr today and sign up to become a UPS My Choice Member or upgrade to Premium Membership.

The holidays can be a whirlwind of gift buying and wrapping, decorating and eating. Before you have a meltdown, check out these last-minute packing and shipping tips and know that you can ship as late as Dec. 23 for delivery on Dec. 24. And remember, The UPS Store is open later during the holidays to take care of your last-minute packing and shipping needs.

Shipping something fragile? We can help.

Help is just around the corner. The UPS Store certified packing experts can properly package gifts that are fragile, such as glass and cookies. They can help you professionally pack your items as well as let you know of any rules and regulations for shipping certain things. For example, did you know that perfume and cologne are considered hazardous materials?

Using a proper shipping box matters.

Resist the temptation to pack your gifts in those old boxes from last year and to use materials like newspaper or real popcorn to cushion them. Boxes weaken during the shipping process, so reusing a box will not provide proper protection for your shipment. Use professional packing materials like foam packaging peanuts, bubble cushioning and professional packaging tape to help avoid any risk of your gift being damaged. Be sure to include a copy of the shipping label inside the shipping box with both the destination and return addresses.

The Pack & Ship Promise.

Keep in mind that participating The UPS Store locations offer the Pack & Ship Promise, which will reimburse you the item’s value, the full retail price you paid for packaging materials and services, and your cost for shipping (excluding Declared Value charges) in the event an item, packed by The UPS Store and shipped via UPS, is lost or damaged. Get details about this service as certain restrictions and limitations may apply.

Here are a few other great ways to safely get those packages to your loved ones:

• Use a shipping option that provides a package-tracking number. You can see where your package is at all times, eliminating the need to call your family for the third time to check if it has arrived.

• Take batteries out of any toys, electronics, etc. before shipping them.

• Ship wrapped presents to your destination, before you travel so that the perfect bow you meticulously worked on for a good 10 minutes will stay just as beautiful as when you tied it.

• Avoid wrapping boxes in brown paper or tying them with string. You don’t want your package getting caught or torn, especially because if the paper is torn off, so is your label.

• Don’t use duct tape, masking tape or cellophane tape to seal your boxes for shipping. Packaging tape is the only way to go.

• Once all of the packing is done, you can recycle any leftover packaging peanuts at participating The UPS Store locations.

Kermit the Frog famously sang that “It’s not easy being green.” However, the participants at our #GreenHoliday Twitter party could likely inspire Kermit to sing a new tune. Dozens of smart, practical ideas were shared … including a few from UPS Chief Sustainability Office (CSO) Scott Wicker.

Journalist Aman Singh (@amansinghCSR), joined by four fantastic panelists, kicked off the conversation. Scott Wicker shared insights about UPS’s environmental efforts, such as carbon neutral shipping. And The UPS Store offered practical guidance on how to choose eco-friendly materials for packing your shipments (hint: soy and starch-based packaging peanuts can decompose when exposed to moisture such as snow or humidity).

Here are some of the top tweets and tips shared during the party:

Today, everyone talks about being “#green.” How do you use it, if at all, as a criteria when you shop?

@LeonKaye: @AmanSinghCSR At this time of year, doing my best to shop locally and being smart about how I ship, and wrap! #greenholiday

@UPS: UPS CSO: Before I shop, I research purchases online to plan my driving route. Saves time + gas. #GreenHoliday

@candacki: @AmanSinghCSR q1 try to by green products, bring your own bags, shop at stores close together! #greenholiday

@diamondslady812: #GreenHoliday  i also buy online w/free shipping so i save gas and wear and tear on my car

@LeonKaye: By the way, in 2009 I used old & vintage post cards & turned them in2 greeting cards: http://t.co/UbilQAvr #greenholiday (instead of buying)

@TheUPSStore: Nothing like a homemade gift! RT @HealthyVoyager: @AmanSinghCSR Homemade gifts are budget + Eco friendly and a lot of fun #Greenholiday

@LeonKaye: We have to remember that when shopping online, we can support small business like those on Etsy, etc. #greenholiday

@msmary1962: I am a big freecycler and other sites that let people who want something you don’t have it. (matching what with have is hard) #greenholiday

@Julias_Child: I made my own recyclable wrapping paper, since most commercial (shiny) paper cannot be recycled. #GreenHoliday

 #Sustainability is a word that consumers don’t always relate to. How do we bridge the disconnect b/w consumers #brands?

@UPS: UPS CSO: Give people practical options. Shipping ground emits less CO2 than air shipments. #GreenHoliday

@UPS: UPS CSO: Also, options for smart packing – small boxes vs big boxes, recycle pckg peanuts, reusable express envelopes. #GreenHoliday

@UPS: UPS CSO: Sustainability is using resources wisely – socially, environmentally + economically. #GreenHoliday

RT @AmanSinghCSR: @UPS defines #susty in 140 characters! It is using resources wisely: socially, environmentally+economically. #GreenHoliday

Scott, what is carbon neutral shipping? How can people use this service during the holidays?

@UPS: UPS CSO: Good question. For just 5-cents extra, UPS offsets carbon associated w/ the delivery of your shipment. #Greenholiday

@UPS: UPS CSO: Carbon neutral shipping is available at most @TheUPSStore locations and at ups.com #GreenHoliday

@UPS UPS CSO: With carbon neutral shipping, UPS buys certified CO2 offsets to balance out emissions from transporting shipments #GreenHoliday

@UPS: UPS CSO: Planes are 8x more carbon producing vs trucks. Trains are 1/4 less vs trucks and ships are 1/2 of train. #GreenHoliday

What creative ideas do you have to reuse holiday leftovers, like wrapping paper and greeting cards?

@GingerCM: Q7 I have a year round box of wrapping & make tags with old cards. I haven’t bought paper or bags in years! @ups #GreenHoliday

@ChildMode: RT @AmanSinghCSR:Cards are great 4 cutting out + using 4 crafts or art projects. Bows can almost always be reused!

@kpswagger: I like to turn greet cards into place mats to use for next year. Something to keep the kids entertained, but is really neat! #GreenHoliday

@MOM4EVEREVER: q7 we take homemade ornaments roll in pb & seed them for bird after the tree goes down no waste #GreenHoliday

@janettwokay: @AmanSinghCSR Q7: Turning old wrapping paper inside out gives it a second life. #greenholiday

Looking for more practical ideas? Join UPS and The UPS Store on January 3 for #HolidayReturns Twitter party. Our moderator, blogger Melissa Dawn Lierman (@TimeOutMom), and a group of panelists will help get the conversation rolling.

Celebrating the holidays is a joyous event. Family, friends, food and gifts. Yet inevitably, returning gifts has become part of the routine during the holidays. In fact, January 3 is the top shipping day for holiday returns at UPS. Just as others created Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we’re creating a day too that’s dedicated to returns – National Returns Day.

Let’s face it. Returning gifts can feel like a hassle … collecting gift receipts, driving around town, standing in line at the store. Holiday returns are daunting, but they don’t have to be.

With our Twitter party, #HolidayReturns, we hope to deliver a bit of sanity and some clever ideas to help take the hassle out of holiday returns. Joining us as the party moderator is blogger Melissa Dawn Lierman (@TimeOutMom) and a team of panelists. UPS compensated Melissa and the panelists for their participation. To generate smart ideas and tips throughout the day, we’re hosting two parties.

Party 1 takes place from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET. If you’re getting ready to hit the mall (or The UPS Store) with your gift returns, join Melissa and our panelists for tips to make gift returns less stressful.

Party 2 takes place from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET. We’ll chat about gift returns’ success stories and ideas to take the hassle out of gift returns throughout the year.

Along with great ideas, our #HolidayReturns parties will feature prizes. To participate in the chat and prize giveaways, include the party hashtag #HolidayReturns in your tweets. Along with three $25 gift cards to The UPS Store awarded every 15 minutes, we’ll give away a $100 gift card to Zappos – who just happens to have a great returns policy – at the end of each party. Read more for complete rules on the prize drawings for the parties: afternoon party rules, evening party rules.

That’s right, folks: another Twitter party come and gone. This time, @TheTravelMom, Emily Kaufman and five fabulous blogger panelists helped UPS and The UPS Store host the #HolidayPacking Twitter party focused on having the best travel experience this holiday by packing and shipping holiday gifts ahead of time, not to mention your luggage!

Participants shared some great travel stories, both the good and the ugly, and lessons learned in the process. @UPS and @TheUPSStore shared some helpful  tips on avoiding the headaches that can come with holiday travel, including UPS My Choice, holiday packing tips and luggage shipping.

The conversation was lively and informative.   Here are some of our favorite tweets about everything from the best ways to pack your items to the strangest things shipped to loved ones. Enjoy!

Do you travel with gifts or ship them to your destination?

@janettwokay: Both. The larger gifts get shipped. The smaller ones go into carryon bags. #HolidayPacking

@MACMOMof3: Absolutely ship them. No room in the car for wrapped presents plus the kids are bound to get into them. #HolidayPacking

@tkharmonic: If you fly, you can’t have anything wrapped, it’s too much of a pain so I just ship them to my Mom’s house. #HolidayPacking

@julybug17: I ship them to final destination, traveling is exhausting enough I don’t want to worry about the gifts #HolidayPacking

@msmary1962: You can ship your things when you fly cheaper than taking them on the plane nowadays. #holidaypacking

What are some unusual items you have shipped during the holidays?

@thetravelmom: My mom loves good deli pastrami and I sent her the essentials for the perfect Reuben Sandwich once #HolidayPacking

@LifeWithoutPink: I once shipped a big lamp to my in-laws. What a project but it got there safe and sound thanks to @UPS! #HolidayPacking

@KaratewithaZ: My parents are always overnighting us fresh caught Alaskan fish and crab. Always frozen and tightly packed. #HolidayPacking

@CaringMom: I have shipped Holy Water to a friend…………it’s true! #HolidayPacking

So stressful to miss deliveries when you are traveling, especially when it is gifts. What options do UPS and The UPS Store offer?

@UPS If traveling during holidays, #UPS_MyChoice lets you re-direct shipments to @TheUPSStore or another address #HolidayPacking

@thetravelmom: My son came home from college but his suitcase didn’t. To be safe I used a @UPS luggage box when he went back to school. #HolidayPacking

@LifeWithoutPink: Love that you can track your packages to ensure they arrived safe and sound, especially during the holidays! #holidaypacking

@Unkatchable73: I absolutely LOVE the mychoice now… I can see what and when it’s coming #HolidayPacking

@dragonfly777: #HolidayPacking I recently moved. @UPS My Choice has been a fantastic service for me!! Thank you!

@MACMOMof3: My Choice is great. It’s exciting to know a package is on its way #HolidayPacking

And a few more of our favorites…

@KaratewithaZ: I LOVE getting UPS packages this time of year! I do a little “UPS” dance when I see that truck stop in front of my 4plex #holidaypacking

@MACMOMof3: The UPS store in Huntersville, NC was my favorite. Shipped presents to my husband for FREE while in Afghanistan. SO nice #HolidayPacking

@BlessMyGOFoods: I watched a UPS worker packing a huge box of gifts for an older woman here in Henderson NV…I was so impressed #HolidayPacking Love my UPS

@myfolly: Our UPS store is so great, there’s never a line and the people are so nice! #HolidayPacking

If you missed Thursday’s #HolidayPacking Twitter party, no worries. Join us Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. ET for our #GreenHoliday Twitter party, where we’ll feature UPS’s Chief Sustainability Officer Scott Wicker and Aman Signh (@AmanSinghCSR), who writes about corporate social responsibility and sustainability practices. Scott and Aman will discuss practical and creative options to make environmentally-friendly choices during the holidays. Scott will also discuss the green services we offer our customers through UPS and The UPS Store, such as carbon neutral shipping.

Join the conversation and share your ideas by using our party hashtag #GreenHoliday in your tweets. During the party, we’ll give away three $25 gift cards for The UPS Store every 15 minutes and a $150 gift card to Anderson Seafoods at the end of the party. Read more for complete rules on the prize drawings for this party.

Everyone loves a good party! We especially loved last Thursday’s #HassleFreeHoliday Twitter party. Mommy blogger Kelly Loubet (@Childhood) and a panel of four expert bloggers got the holiday logistics ball rolling by leading a great discussion that led to some great tips, ideas and holiday secrets!

In addition to the many great ideas people shared, @UPS and @The UPS Store shared some helpful tips for creating a hassle-free holiday, including UPS My Choice, The UPS Store Pack & Ship Promise and new personalized photo gifts from The UPS Store.

While there were many great tips and tricks shared during the #HassleFreeHoliday hour, we wanted to highlight a few that really stood out to us. From strategic tips for managing the chaos of the holidays to figuring out creative ways to reuse boxes, you can find anything you need to take the hassle out of the holidays! Check them out:

What are your best resources for managing holiday tasks?

@Childhood #HassleFreeHoliday I keep a checklist on my phone so it’s always with me

@RachelFerrucci: I have a list & delegate to other family members/ coordinate w/ friends to shop #HassleFreeHoliday

@julybug17: Google Doc list, very helpful and I can access it anywhere on any device #HassleFreeHoliday

@following_ivy: I use my memo on my phone and I carry my flyers around to remind me of the sales #hasslefreeholiday

@janettwokay: I also use Lists from websites such as @Amazon, @QVC, and others. They come in handy. #HassleFreeHoliday

@toonces1989: Coupons! plan what you’re shopping for and where you’re going and look for coupons #HassleFreeHoliday

How are you designing and printing your holiday newsletter or postcards?

@saving4someday: @Childhood Printing holiday cards? You mean I can’t just send an email or a tweet? #HassleFreeHoliday

@TheGunnySack: @Childhood Q4: My youngest son writes a letter about the people our family #hasslefreeholiday

@VegasStephica: @Childhood Q4: We have handmade photo cards with our birds on them, family loves them! #HassleFreeHoliday

@following_ivy: A4: all of mines are going to be handmade! I think it’s extra special that way #hasslefreeholiday

@hawaiianstyle03: We always do Holiday Cards.  Love to take the pix then customize the cards FUN FUN! #HassleFreeHoliday

@MinnieandJ: Handcrafted of course! get my nephews to help out as well.. great projects for them #hasslefreeholiday

The Top 5 tips for reusing boxes:

@TheUPSStore6148: Used packing material can be taken to your nearest UPS store & we recycle cardboard, peanuts, bubble #HassleFreeHoliday

@janettwokay: Especially those peanuts, LOL! We recycled some yesterday in a box that we were shipping via UPS yesterday. #HassleFreeHoliday

@JanelMayer: Make an igloo instead! RT @UPS: @Childhood A8: Never good to reuse a box. Boxes can weaken+get dented during shipping. #HassleFreeHoliday

@TxTerriSweeps: I don’t reuse boxes for shipping, but we always find some way to use them at home…. storage, crafts #hasslefreeholiday

@JanelMayer: Wrap your @ups empty boxes and decorate with them! #HassleFreeHoliday party

If you missed last week’s party, don’t worry! We’ve got another one coming up this Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. We’ll talk about #HolidayPacking and feature travel expert Emily Kaufman (@thetravelmom) and another panel of expert bloggers. Along with amusing stories, our panel will share tips to prepare for holiday travel and packaging gifts. We’ll also be giving away some more prizes!

Join us by including the party hashtag #HolidayPacking in your tweets. You’ll also need to use the #hashtag for a chance to win a prize. During the party, we’ll give away three $25 gift cards to The UPS Store every 15 minutes and a $75 gift card to Wayfair.com at the end of the hour. Read more for complete rules on the prize drawings for this party.

Last month, we introduced an innovative service called UPS My Choice^SM. For online shoppers, it offers a new level of control and flexibility for shipments delivered to residential addresses, such as the option to reschedule a delivery when you’re not home or redirect a delivery to another address or your local The UPS Store.

As with most new offerings, we’ve had questions pop up from customers about using UPS My Choice. Here are the top questions along with our answers and advice for using the service. We even included a video at the end of this post.

• Why am I receiving a Registration Error 1013?
• How can I electronically release packages?
• Why are some features not available on certain packages?
• Will selecting Deliver to a UPS Retail Location or Deliver to Another Address affect the delivery date?
• How can I provide delivery instructions to my driver?

I am trying to register but get “Registration error 1013.” What does this mean?

Did you recently move to a new address? Or change your name?

If so, this could trigger the error message. Why?

During the registration process, your name and address are verified by matching it to public information. If you’ve moved or changed your name, there may not be enough public information available to match. The reason for this verification step is security. Because UPS My Choice lets you change the delivery address before a delivery attempt is made, it’s important to make sure “you are who you say you are” instead of someone posing as you (think identify theft). If you have recently moved or changed your name, you will need to wait a few weeks before you can register so that public information can be established between you and your address. UPS does not store the information used for verification nor do we use it for any purpose other than to verify your information.

What if you haven’t changed your address or name and still get the message? Our advice is to enter your name as it appears in public records.

How do I electronically release packages?

There are two options to request that the UPS driver release a package without your signature.

If the shipper requires a signature, you have the ability to authorize the release of a package on a per package basis. We do this to ensure that only those packages you feel comfortable releasing are left. 

1. Track your package from the Tracking Detail page or if a Premium Member, the UPS My Choice Delivery Planner
2. Select “Provide Delivery Instructions” on the Tracking Detail page or select “Add” under the “Provide Delivery Instructions” Column on the Delivery Planner
3. Request an “Authorize Shipment Release” for your package

If you live in an area where the UPS driver doesn’t leave packages without a signature, you can place a standing order for the driver to release all packages. To select this option in your preferences section

1. Log on to ups.com and select “Access UPS My Choice” under the Tracking tab
2.  Select the “Preferences” link
3. Select the “Authorize Shipment Release” option on the Preferences Page
4. Select “Save Changes”

Keep in mind that if a shipper does send you a signature required package, the standing order does not apply in this situation and you must log in and select the authorize shipment release feature.

Why are certain “Change Delivery” options not available for some packages?

Here at UPS, our goal is to provide excellent service to both our shippers and our receivers. Some of our shippers have certain business needs and they have asked us to turn off select features on their packages.

Factors that may affect the delivery options offered by a shipper are such things as high-value items, prescriptions, or perishable packages.  While this is the exception, it will happen from time to time.  However, as a UPS My Choice member, you will still receive your Delivery Alerts informing you that a shipment is on its way. You will also have access to many of the other UPS My Choice features that will enable you to receive packages in a way that best fits your schedule.

Will selecting “Deliver to a UPS Retail Location” or “Deliver to Another Address” affect the delivery date?

To avoid a potential delivery delay, we recommend the following:

• Make the delivery change request as early as possible
• Choose a destination that is close to the original delivery address
•  There may be occasions when delivery delays are unavoidable, such as if the new address or The UPS Store location that you select is located a significant distance from the original delivery address.

I want my package left in a specific location. How do I inform my driver?

UPS My Choice Premium Members have the option to specify exactly where they want the package left. For example, you can have your package left at the shed or the back door. Ultimately, it is left to the driver’s discretion and if he believes the package is unsafe, whether it’s a safety threat or due to the weather elements, he may choose to attempt redelivery of the package the following day.

Looking for more guidance? Our video offers more tips for using UPS My Choice and selecting options to manage your shipments.