With the Christmas season approaching, it is now time to start preparing for the celebrations and its best part – the gift exchange! Many people who are not able to get together with their loved ones use Royal Mail to send their Christmas gifts to families and friends abroad. To make sure your parcel will arrive on time for the celebrations, we have gathered the Royal Mail Christmas posting dates so you will not miss the deadline. Find out if Royal Mail delivers on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and get ready for the festive season!
SHIPPING DEADLINE
Since the Christmas holidays are a very busy time of the year for courier companies and postal services, it is important to be aware of the Royal Mail’s last posting dates for Christmas when shipping your parcels. The recommended practice is to send your gifts in advance, as early as possible, to avoid any delay or inconvenience.
However, please consider that during the month of December, the shipping companies have to deal with a huge increase in shipment volume, along with poor weather conditions from the winter season. Therefore, transit times for Christmas deliveries with Royal Mail and other courier companies may be extended.
See below the summary of the last posting dates before Christmas for each Royal Mail service. Plan your Christmas delivery accordingly, but remember that the earlier you send your goods, the greater are its chances to come on time.
| Royal Mail service | Last posting date |
|---|---|
| Royal Mail Bulk Mail Economy | 17th of December |
| 2nd Class | 18th of December |
| 2nd Class Signed For | 18th of December |
| Royal Mail 48 | 18th of December |
| 1st Class | 21st of December |
| 1st Class Signed For | 21st of December |
| Royal Mail 24 | 21st of December |
| Royal Mail Tracked 48 | 21st of December |
| Royal Mail Tracked 24 | 22nd of December |
| Special Delivery Guaranteed | 23rd of December |
The last Christmas posting date with Royal Mail may vary depending on the country of your delivery and the service purchased. In the table below, you will find a summary of the Royal Mail last posting dates for the main destinations around the world using the International Economy and International Standard services. However, we strongly recommend checking the time estimation for your specific route with the postal company when you book the service.
| Shipping Route | International Economy | International Standard |
|---|---|---|
| UK – Canada & USA | 1st of November | 13th of December |
| UK – Middle East & Asia | 15th of October | 8th of December |
| UK – Western Europe | 29th of November | 16th of December |
| UK – Eastern Europe | 26th of November | 11th of December |
| UK – Caribbean | N/A | 1st of December |
| UK – Australia & New Zealand | N/A | 6th of December |
WORKING HOURS
The Royal Mail regular delivery hours vary depending on the different locations within the UK. In usual times, the postal service aims to deliver all parcels in urban areas until 3 p.m. and in rural areas, until 4 p.m. However, this deadline may be extended in some specific circumstances, especially for locations that are remote and hard to access.
You can rest assured that the Royal Mail does everything they can to deliver as many parcels as possible before the Christmas holidays. For this reason and due to the increased volume of shipments, they may have alterations on the delivery hours.
CHRISTMAS EVE
Many people wonder if there is postal delivery on Christmas Eve, and the answer is simple: yes, there is. The 24th of December is not considered a public holiday in the UK. For this reason, the Royal Mail will perform deliveries on Christmas Eve, following their regular working hours on most locations.
If the Royal Mail is not able to deliver your parcel on Christmas Eve because nobody was home, you will have to pick up the package yourself at a local branch office during the following working days. So, if you are expecting a delivery, make sure someone is present at the address to receive the package.
CHRISTMAS DAY
Christmas Day, the 25th of December, is considered a public holiday in the UK, Ireland, and most European countries. In 2021, since Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, the following Monday will also be a day off because it is considered a substitute holiday.
For this reason, the Royal Mail will not perform deliveries or collections on Christmas Day and on the 27th of December in 2021.
BOXING DAY
Boxing Day is celebrated in the UK on the 26th of December and is an official public holiday. In 2021, this holiday will fall on a Sunday, and the substitute day will be the 28th of December. Since it is considered an official day off, the Royal Mail will not perform deliveries or collections on Boxing Day or the 28th of December in 2021. All postal offices will also be closed, returning with regular working hours on the following day, the 29th of December.
Since the holiday weekend this year will be four-day long, it is even more important to prepare yourself and ship your parcels in advance! Don’t wait till the last minute and risk having your gifts delayed.
EASY SHIPPING
At Eurosender, we work with several renowned international courier companies to ensure you have the best shipping options available. Book your delivery through our platform, and our team will organise every detail of the shipping service on your behalf. We will take over all the communication with the courier company, so you don’t have to worry about anything – all you need to do is prepare the gift in a shipping box and wait for the courier to collect it!