“Christmas is coming,
The goose is overweight.
Remember these last posting dates,
So your presents aren’t all late!”
It’s that time of year when people post Christmas presents to loved ones in the UK and all over the world.
Getting cards and gifts in the post nice and early is always important if you want them to arrive in time for the big day – but never has that been more true than in 2020.
With postal systems already creaking under the weight of the coronavirus and a further surge expected in the weeks leading up to Christmas, it’s never been more important to take heed of the all-important cut-off dates for getting your present or card in the post.
Here are Royal Mail’s last posting dates for Christmas 2020:
Domestic Services
- Fri 18 December: 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For
- Mon 21 December: 1st Class and 1st Class Signed For and Royal Mail Tracked 48*
- Tue 22 December: Royal Mail Tracked 24*
- Wed 23 December: Special Delivery Guaranteed
* Tracked 24/48 services not available to purchase at Post Office branches.
International Services
- Fri 4 December: Australia, New Zealand
- Wed 9 December: Africa, Asia, Caribbean, South & Central America, Middle East
- Thu 10 December: Canada, Cyprus, Malta
- Fri 11 December: Greece, Turkey, Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic, Poland & Slovakia)
- Sat 12 December: Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Poland, Sweden, USA
- Wed 16 December: Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland
- Fri 18 December: Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg
Alongside their recommended posting dates, Royal Mail also issued the following warning to its customers:
“Due to the global Coronavirus pandemic affecting mail services in most countries, we strongly advise posting all international mail as early as possible to ensure your letters and parcels arrive in time for Christmas.
Royal Mail will employ an extra 13,000 temporary staff to cope with the expected frenzy of online shopping this Christmas, as Covid-19 lockdown restrictions force more people away from the high street.
A busy few weeks lie in store for businesses and shoppers alike, with packaging manufacturers braced for the festive rush.
Online retailers in need of a last-minute Christmas packaging top-up will be pleased to find a huge range of mailing bags on sale at the UK’s number one manufacturer, Polybags, whose market-leading eco-packaging range includes a wide variety of eco-friendly postage solutions made from compostable, biodegradable and 100%-recycled material.
For the rest of us, the key is to get your shopping done and your cards written early and then don’t miss the boat – or is that sleigh? – when it comes to last posting dates.
For full details of recommended last posting dates, visit royalmail.com/greetings. You can also keep up-to-date with the very latest service updates from across the country.
