Catch the Christmas post
Make sure you send your cards and presents in time
If you've gone to the effort of making your own Christmas cards, you'll want to be absolutely certain that they reach their recipients before Christmas, so you'll need to know the last posting dates - see below. You might want to copy the relevant ones into your diary, or print out this page.
And as well as knowing the last posting dates, you also need to know the collection time from the postbox you're using. Earlier this year, Royal Mail made the collection time at almost 50,000 postboxes much earlier in the day, some as early as 9am instead of 5pm as previously the case.
The latest recommended posting dates from Royal Mail are:
International Standard (formerly Airmail), and all International Tracking and Signature Services (formerly Airsure and International Signed For)
Asia, Far East (including Japan), New Zealand: Wednesday December 3
Australia: Thursday December 4
Africa, Caribbean, Central & South America, Middle East: Friday December 5
Cyprus, Eastern Europe, Greece: Monday December 8
Canada, Poland: Tuesday December 9
USA: Friday December 12
Western Europe: Saturday December 13
International Standard HM Forces Mail - British Forces Post Office (BFPO)
Operational BFPOs: Friday November 28
Static BFPOs: Friday December 12
UK Services
2nd class and Royal Mail Signed For: Thursday December 18
1st class and Royal Mail Signed For: Saturday December 20
Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed: Tuesday December 23
You might also like...
Make your own Christmas postage stamps, with Royal Mail
Plan your perfect Christmas
Christmas cards to make
Your Christmas gift guide, all to buy online - check the order-by dates!
