Make sure you don’t miss the last dates to get cards and presents sent off in time for Christmas Day.
If you’ve got a load of cards and presents to send off to friends and family this festive season, you better get cracking if you want them to get there for Christmas Day.
Here are the Royal Mail's latest recommended posting dates you need to be aware of.
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UK services
If you need to send letters and parcels using the Royal Mail’s UK inland service these are the latest recommended posting dates by type of service.
|
Date |
Service |
|
Tuesday, December 20 |
2nd Class and Royal Mail Signed For |
|
Wednesday, December 21 |
1st Class and Royal Mail Signed For |
|
Thursday, December 22 |
Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed |
|
Friday, December 23 |
Special Delivery Saturday Guaranteed |
Source: Royal Mail
Remember, the longer you leave it the more you are going to have to pay to get your letters and parcels to loved ones in time.
The Special Delivery Saturday Guaranteed for example costs £26.94 for a parcel weighing 2kg worth up to £50.
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International services
The last order dates for International Economy (formerly known as Surface Mail) have all now passed.
However, there is still time to use some International Standard (formerly Airmail), International Tracking and Signature services (formerly Airsure and International Signed for).
Here are the latest recommended order dates by where you need your items to go:
|
Date |
Destination |
|
Saturday, December 3 |
Africa, Middle East |
|
Wednesday, December 7 |
Cyprus, Asia, Far East (including Japan), Eastern Europe (except Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia), Turkey, Malta |
|
Thursday, December 8 |
Caribbean, Central & South America |
|
Saturday, December 10 |
Greece, Australia, New Zealand |
|
Wednesday, December 14 |
Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland |
|
Thursday, December 15 |
Canada, Finland, Sweden, USA |
|
Friday, December 16 |
Austria, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland |
|
Saturday, December 17 |
Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg |
International Standard HM Forces
The last recommended post date for Airmail to operational British Forces Post Offices (BFPOs) was Monday November 28.
However, you have until Monday December 12 for Airmail to static BFPOs.
Deliveries and collections
If you are expecting something in the post the Royal Mail delivery and collection schedule will be worth keeping an eye on.
Here are the dates you need to know about:
|
Key dates |
Service |
|
Christmas Eve |
|
|
Christmas Day |
|
|
Boxing Day |
|
|
Boxing Day |
No deliveries or collections |
|
Wednesday, December 28 |
Normal deliveries or collections |
|
Thursday, December 29 |
Normal deliveries and collections |
|
Friday, December 30 |
Normal deliveries and collections |
|
New Year’s Eve |
|
|
New Year’s Day |
|
|
Bank Holiday |
No deliveries or collections |
|
Bank Holiday in Scotland |
Normal deliveries and collections |
|
Wednesday, January 4 |
|
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