What is the last date for posting Christmas parcels and cards?

The holiday season is fast approaching, and with it comes the excitement of exchanging gifts with loved ones! It is important to make sure your parcels and cards reach their destinations in time for 25 December. In this article, we will provide you with an overview of the last posting dates for Christmas 2024 in the UK, Ireland, and overseas.

Jump to:

• Last posting dates with postal services
• Last posting dates with couriers
• Last posting dates with Eurosender
• Tips on how to prevent delivery delays

Last posting dates for Christmas 2024 with postal services

Since the last posting dates before Christmas vary depending on the postal service in each country, you will need to check their websites for exact dates for your route, as well as any updates or changes they may communicate.

Typically, the final dates for international mail are earlier than those for domestic mail. This is to ensure that packages and letters have enough time to reach their destinations.

We have compiled the last posting dates before Christmas 2024 for Royal Mail and An Post below.

Royal Mail’s last posting dates

The last dates for posting Christmas cards and parcels with Royal Mail within the UK are as follows:

• Second Class mail, including signed-for: Monday 18 December
• First Class mail, including signed-for: Tuesday 19 December
• Royal Mail Tracked 48: Wednesday 20 December
• Royal Mail Tracked 24: Thursday 21 December
• Special Delivery Guaranteed: Friday 22 December

If you are planning to send gifts or cards abroad, the last posting dates before Christmas vary depending on the route and the service you choose.

For the International Economy service, the final posting dates range between 2 October and 27 November.

For the International Standard service, the dates extend into early December, and the last posting date for items to arrive before Christmas is Monday, 11 December.

An Post: last shipping dates

An Post is the national postal service in Ireland. The last dates for posting in Ireland and Europe before Christmas are listed below:

• Republic of Ireland: Thursday 21 December
• Northern Ireland: Tuesday 19 December
• Great Britain: Monday 18 December
• Rest of Europe (standard parcels): Wednesday 13 December
• Rest of Europe (other services): Monday 18 December

For shipping to the USA and other overseas destinations, the last posting dates before Christmas vary between 6 December and 15 December, depending on your specific route and chosen service.

We recommend sending your cards and gifts as early as possible so that they arrive in time for the big day!

Last posting dates for Christmas with courier services

Although couriers such as DHL, DPD, Evri (Hermes), and GLS do pick up and deliver packages until Christmas Eve almost every year, it is best to leave yourself enough time and not wait until the last shipping date before Christmas.

Express shipping within Europe normally takes 24 hours, while international deliveries are delivered in 72 hours. But delays should be expected over the holiday season, and this is why couriers move their last shipping dates for Christmas earlier to ensure timely and efficient deliveries.

Evri’s last posting dates

Evri, one of the UK’s most popular couriers, goes the extra mile during December to ensure your loved ones receive their presents on time.

These are the last dates for shipping within the UK before Christmas:

• Courier collection: Tuesday 19 December
• ParcelShop: Wednesday 20 December by 12.00
• ParcelShop Next Day: Thursday 21 December by 12.00

The final dates for shipping from the UK to major European and global routes are listed in the table below:

DHL: last posting dates

As a leading global courier, DHL experiences a particularly high volume of shipping orders in December. We recommend sending your items 3-5 days earlier than you normally would. Generally, the last posting date before Christmas is around 20 December, but this may vary depending on where you will be shipping to.

For more accurate information on time-sensitive shipments, please check directly with DHL. They may provide different options and have specific restrictions depending on the destination.

DPD’s last shipping dates

The last posting dates before Christmas vary depending on the type of DPD service selected.

Here are the final 2024 shipping dates for some of the most important routes:

• UK domestic: Wednesday 20 December
• Ireland domestic: Wednesday 20 December
• UK to Ireland: Tuesday 19 December
• Ireland to UK: Tuesday 19 December
• Spain to UK: Wednesday 13 December
• Ireland to Croatia: Tuesday 12 December

DPD also offers a range of convenient services to help customers with their Christmas deliveries. They have a network of local parcel shops where customers can pick up or drop off items whenever it suits them.

GLS: last posting dates

Like all couriers, GLS recommends shipping items in advance so that your recipient is not left empty-handed on Christmas morning.

Here are the last shipping dates before Christmas with GLS in 2024:

• UK domestic: Wednesday 20 December
• Ireland domestic: Wednesday 20 December
• Denmark domestic: Tuesday 19 December
• UK to Ireland: Friday 15 December
• Ireland to Croatia: Friday 15 December
• Ireland to Germany: Friday 15 December
• UK to Italy: Saturday 16 December
• UK to Germany: Saturday 16 December

Last date for shipping before Christmas with Eurosender

With our Priority Express Service, you can send Christmas packages to friends and family members around the world in 24-72 hours. Understandably, December is the busiest time of year, so we recommend shipping at least one week before your desired delivery date.

The last date for shipping before Christmas on the majority of international routes is Tuesday, 12 December.

If you are shipping across international borders, there are other factors to consider besides the last posting date before Christmas. For example, shipping outside of the EU may take more time because of customs clearance.

For items collected after the last shipping date before Christmas, we will make every effort to ensure they are delivered as soon as possible. Following the holiday break, courier companies in most countries will resume normal operations in early January.

Don’t leave it to the last moment!

More about holiday shipping:

• Courier services over Christmas
• Sending a letter to Santa
• 10 worst Christmas gifts
• Shipping on Boxing Day
• Year-long courier calendar

Tips on how to prevent delivery delays over the holidays

The last day to ship before Christmas will come sooner than you think!

We expect a larger volume of shipping requests in December. Please note that the estimated delivery times may be impacted by the increased pressure on air and road freight capacity as well as adverse weather conditions.

Follow these top tips to prevent shipping delays during peak season:

• Plan ahead! Book the collection as soon as possible.
• Choose an express shipping option.
• Double-check that the contact info is correct to avoid issues.
• Have someone present at the delivery address.

You may also be interested in:

• Expedited delivery
• How to wrap a gift
• Shipping a Christmas tree
• Shipping Christmas ornaments
• Shipping a Christmas wreath

Still have questions?

Check our delivery guides for more information.