United Parcel Service expects a 7.5 percent rise in deliveries this holiday shopping season, and plans to hire about 50,000 seasonal workers nationally to handle the increase.

Locally UPS said they plan to hire 25 additional employees for seasonal help.

According to a Reuters article, the world's largest package delivery company expects about 430 million deliveries during its peak season, that's up from 400 million last year. The company said that consumer spending is gradually rising as the economy begins to improve. On Monday, the Commerce Department said retail sales in October surpassed forecasts to post the biggest gain in seven months.

Deliveries should reach 24 million worldwide on December 22, matching last year's busiest day. That volume is 60 percent above normal daily business.

Most UPS ground packages are delivered within three days, while UPS air can ship as late as December 23 for delivery on Christmas Eve. UPS Airlines will fly more than 350 added flights in each of the five days leading up to Christmas Day, December 25.

The second largest U.S. package delivery company, FedEx expects its shipments will rise 11 percent from last year. An estimated 16 million shipments on December 13 would make it the busiest day in FedEx history. The company expects to handle more than 223.3 million shipments between the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday on November 25 and Christmas.