Last posting dates for Christmas 2021 – when is the last day I can send cards with the Royal Mail?

December is fast approaching and plans are well underway for Christmas.

We’re all looking forward to spending time with family and friends this year after last year’s gatherings were curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic.

If you are sending parcels and cards to your nearest and dearest by post, it is important to get sorted.

Here’s our guide to the deadlines you need to know to ensure everything is where it should be by December 25.

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When is the last Royal Mail posting day?

For second class mail, the last Royal Mail posting date is Saturday, December 18.

For first class mail, the last Royal Mail posting date is Tuesday December 21.

Items sent via Royal Mail Tracked 24 will still arrive if posted by Wednesday December 22 and items sent via Special Delivery Guaranteed will still arrive even if posted on Thursday, December 23 – but the service costs more.

What about if I am sending something overseas?

International Standard delivery dates vary according to the country you are sending to.

Caribbean: Wednesday December 1

Australia Greece, Italy, New Zealand and Portugal: Monday December 6

Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Far and Middle East: Wednesday December 8

Cyprus, Malta and Sweden: Friday December 10

Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia), Turkey: Saturday December 11

Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Poland and USA: Monday December 13

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland: Thursday December 16.

International HM Armed Forces Mail deadlines?

Airmail to Operational HM Forces deadline is Monday, November 29 and airmail to Static HM Forces is Monday, December 6.

What’s the cost?

The Royal Mail provides a size and weight guide for letters and parcels so you can estimate the cost of sending them.

For standard cards and letters, a first class stamp costs 85p, a second class stamp costs 66p.

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