In case you recently developed amnesia, it’s holiday time again. Do you have time-sensitive press pitches you need to send out? Take your time and think it through before hitting “send.”

If there’s any way to avoid sending a press announcement the week before, during or after a holiday, avoid it. Things are hectic everywhere, and in the media just as many people want to spend their holidays at home as in any other business. Writers are squirreling away “evergreen” stories to run while a skeleton staff is on duty, covering for vacationing colleagues and keeping up with the “must-do” assignments.

However, some companies have news that has to go out, perhaps it is something that was unforeseeable or an event happening within the week and there’s just no rescheduling.

Send an e-mail if you must, but be considerate. It drives you crazy when clients call just as you’re walking out the door, right? As the day gets later, reporters and editors find themselves behind a speeding snowball called deadline as work catches up and sources finally return phone calls. Don’t send your announcement after 3 p.m. and don’t call with information or to even follow up on correspondence. You are certain to get rushed off the line.

Instead, send your email between the start of business and lunchtime; give it a couple of hours before calling to make sure it was received. That gives the reporters and editors a chance to check their in-boxes, read what you sent and collect any questions they may have. Also, calling just two or three hours after sending the announcement makes sure the correspondence is fresh in their minds and not buried to deep in a folder somewhere.

Don’t send your releases on a Monday or Friday. Friday is, as it is for everyone, a catch-up day for tying up loose ends for the weekend. Emails are stacked up from the weekend when people get into the office and it’s difficult to give each the consideration it deserves; don’t get lost in the throng of attention-seekers.

Timing is everything and while these media tips are focused on the holidays, most are applicable year round. First and foremost, ask yourself this question: Would I want someone asking me for something right now? Good luck!