Last posting dates for Christmas: Check the courier deadlines for 2024

The end-of-year holidays are fast approaching — it’s time to start thinking about the last posting dates for Christmas 2024.

During this time, couriers are working at full speed to process many more packages than usual. Prepare for changes in schedules and delivery times to ensure your business runs smoothly, and keep customers happy by making sure Christmas packages are delivered on time.

To help out, we’ve gathered the known delivery deadlines for Christmas 2024. Plus, we’ve got some tips for shipping during the holidays so that you can have a great holiday season. Don’t forget to check when your courier's last day for Christmas delivery is to make the most of the season!

Posting deadlines for couriers during the 2024 Christmas holidays

It's important to be mindful of Christmas holidays, as these days often come with altered delivery times. Below, we've listed the last posting dates for our affiliated couriers, including Evri, Royal Mail, InPost, Parcelforce, DHL, and DPD. Considering the pressure on couriers during this busy period, this information can help you plan accordingly and keep your customers informed.

💡Note: Most couriers do not deliver on the bank holidays (Christmas and Boxing Day). Be sure to check the courier pages to get the most recent info.

Given the upcoming saturation of the various courier networks, we advise you to prepare well and ship earlier when possible:

• For domestic shipments, it is advisable to allow for an extra 1-2 days beyond the usual delivery times. This additional margin helps accommodate potential delays that may occur during the peak season.

• For deliveries outside the UK, it is recommended to ship at least 4-5 days earlier than usual, depending on the destination. This extended timeframe accounts for possible customs delays or other logistical issues.

Explore the important dates per courier:

• Evri

• DPD

• Royal Mail

• InPost

• DHL

• Parcelforce

Evri last Christmas posting dates

Shipping with Evri? The last posting dates in the UK are:

• 19 December: Last day for courier collections

• 20 December: For Standard delivery, drop off your parcel by 11am at a ParcelShop or Evri Locker to ensure it arrives before Christmas Day

• 21 December: For Next Day delivery, drop off your parcel by 11am at a ParcelShop or Evri Locker 

Here are the last posting dates for standard delivery to popular international destinations: 

Europe

• 3 December: Cyprus, Malta

• 5 December: Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal

• 9 December: Bulgaria, Finland, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain

• 10 December: Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland

• 11 December: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden

• 12 December: Ireland, Netherlands

Rest of the world

• 2 December: China, Japan

• 3 December: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia

• 5 December: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Qatar

• 10 December: USA

• 12 December: UAE

DPD UK last Christmas posting dates

Want your parcels to arrive in time for Christmas? See the important dates for shipping with DPD in the UK:

• 20 December: Last day to book parcel collection (to be collected the next day)

• 21 December: Last day for drop-off at your local drop shop

See the last posting dates for popular international destinations:

• 6 December: India

• 13 December: Australia

• 17 December: South Africa

• 18 December: USA, Germany, UAE, Canada

• 19 December: Italy, Ireland

• 20 December: France

Note: Booking with DPD Air Express is required to send your parcels on these dates.

Royal Mail last Christmas posting dates

If you are opting for Royal Mail, these are the deadlines for Christmas parcels within the UK:

• 18 December: Last posting date for 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For

• 20 December: Last posting date for 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For, and Royal Mail Tracked 48®

• 21 December: Last posting date for Royal Mail Tracked 24®

• 23 December: Last posting date for Special Delivery Guaranteed®

Shipping internationally? These are the dates to know:

International Standard (Untracked)

• 3 December: Africa, Asia, Australia, Caribbean, Central and South America, China (People’s Republic), Far and Middle East, New Zealand

• 4 December: Cyprus, Malta, Portugal, Spain

• 5 December: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic and Poland), France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey

• 6 December: Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Poland, Sweden, USA

International Economy

• 9 October: All non-European destinations (except South Africa, Canada, Middle and Far East, USA)

• 21 October: Hong Kong, Middle and Far East, Singapore, South Africa

• 6 November: Canada, USA

• 2 December: Cyprus, Eastern Europe, Greece, Iceland, Malta, Turkey, Western Europe

InPost last Christmas posting dates

If you want parcels to be delivered in time for Christmas in the UK, stick to this deadline:

December 18: To make sure packages arrive by Christmas Day, be sure to drop them off by this date.

DHL Parcel last Christmas posting dates

For on-time Christmas deliveries, remember this date when shipping with DHL in the UK:

• 19 December: Last recommended collection date to ensure delivery before Christmas​

For your international parcel to be delivered before Christmas, it must be dropped off or collected on these dates:

Popular European countries (International Economy)

• 8 December: Finland

• 11 December: Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Belgium

• 15 December: Netherlands, Sweden, Republic of Ireland

Popular countries from the rest of the world (International Economy)

• 1 December: Japan, China

• 2 December: South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand

• 7 December: Australia

• 8 December: Canada, Hong Kong

• 9 December: New Zealand

• 14 December: Saudi Arabia

Parcelforce last Christmas posting dates

For delivery by Christmas Day using Parcelforce, the last recommended posting dates are as follows:

• 19 December: For two-day services in the UK as well as Worldwide Express48 and Express48 Large services

• 20 December: For next-day services in the UK as well as Worldwide Express24/ExpressAM services

Yodel last Christmas posting dates

For delivery by Christmas Day shipped with Yodel, the last recommended posting dates are as follows:

*Bank Holiday in Scotland: collections may take place, but it will be a non-collection day as standard.

Tips for successful shipping during the holidays

While we’re on the subject of last order for Christmas dates, cut-off times and sending packages during the Christmas holidays in general, we would like to share some additional tips with you:

• Timeliness: To make sure packages get delivered on time, send items promptly and encourage your customers to order in time. Use all your communication channels to highlight the order deadline—like putting up banners on your homepage and product pages. A popup that shows up after a few seconds can also help grab attention. Don’t forget to update your FAQ section and share this info on your social media accounts too.

• Flexibility: Prepare for courier delays due to increasing volumes. Therefore, make sure that you always have one or more backup shipping options that you can fall back on. Making use of multi-courier shipping software means you can switch between different couriers when there is a disruption. 

• Efficiency: Give your customers the option for out-of-home delivery where you ship parcels to a parcel shop or pickup point instead of a home address. This way, couriers can manage the volume in bulk instead of sending drivers from one home address to another. The latter is way more time-consuming and less efficient. 

• Updates: In busy times, customers want package updates. Take advantage of the opportunity and provide efficient, branded parcel tracking: think automated and personalised notifications in your brand's colours! This is also your chance to share social media links and exclusive promotions.

• Experience: The holiday season is the perfect time to create a fun unboxing experience for your customers without too much hassle. It’s a great way to enhance their shopping experience, and if they post their gift openings on social media, it can increase your brand awareness in the process.

• Insurance: Since December is such a busy time for packages, there’s a higher chance of things getting damaged, stolen, or lost. To keep your customers happy, it’s a good idea to do what you can to protect your shipments. If something goes wrong, you can easily file a complaint to get things sorted out quickly and get reimbursed for the product’s cost.

• Returns: With all of the December gift orders coming in, you can expect a rise in returns during or after the holidays. Make sure your returns process runs smoothly, tweak anything that needs fixing, and you’ll save yourself extra work during this time.

Best of luck and happy holidays!

The month of December is a hectic period, but one in which you will probably have a lot of orders. Did you know that some e-commerce sites generate more than 50% of their annual turnover during this period?

To ensure smooth deliveries during this busy time, keep track of the last posting dates for Christmas. And why not make sure you’re getting the best shipping rates? Create a free Sendcloud account today to view our shipping rates.