The last first and second-class post dates for Christmas

Sending out your Christmas presents and cards is stressful any year, hoping your gifts will make it in time, but this year it’s more important than ever before.

With Covid restrictions, more friends and families will be relying on the post to keep spreading Christmas cheer in a safe, socially distanced way.

Indeed, the Royal Mail are hiring more Christmas staff than previous years in anticipation of extra demand. Their website reads: ‘With more customers and branches continuing to observe social distancing guidelines to keep everyone safe, things could take a bit longer than usual.’

So, what are the last dates you can send out first-class and second-class post this Christmas?

Royal Mail Christmas posting dates 2020: last date to post to UK addresses

If you’re sending something to someone in the UK, the last dates you can send for guaranteed Christmas delivery depend on how you’re sending them out.

• Royal Mail 2nd Class & 2nd Class Signed For – Friday, December 18
• Royal Mail 1st Class & 1st Class Signed For – Monday, December 21
• Parcelforce Worldwide express48, express48large – Tuesday, December 22
• Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed and Parcelforce Worldwide express24, AM, 9 & 10 – Wednesday, December 23

Last date to post overseas

If you’re sending mail abroad, the official advice is to post as early as possible to avoid disappointment. The recommended last dates to follow are:

Royal Mail International Standard and International Tracking and Signature services

• Australia, New Zealand – Friday, December 4
• Africa, Middle East – Wednesday, December 9
• Asia, Far East – Wednesday, December 9
• Caribbean, Central and South America – Wednesday, December 9
• Cyprus , Malta – Thursday, December 10
• Eastern Europe (except Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia) – Friday, December 11
• Greece, Turkey – Friday, December 11
• Canada, USA – Saturday, December 12
• Finland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Poland, Italy – Saturday, December 12
• Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland – Wednesday, December 16
• Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg – Friday, December 18

HM Forces Mail (BFPO)

• Airmail to Operational BFPOs – Monday, November 30
• Airmail to Static BFPOs – Monday, December 7

The deadlines for Royal mail economy overseas mail has passed for all countries.

Parcelforce: Republic of Ireland

• globalvalue – Wednesday, December 9
• globalpriority – Friday, December 11
• irelandexpress – Thursday, December 17
• globalexpress – Friday, December 18