There’s nothing worse in the midst of all the festive fun than realising that you’ve missed the last posting date for that special card or gift.

Here’s the advice from Royal Mail about Christmas posting dates:

Within the UK, the last recomended posting date for cards with Royal Mail 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For is Wednesday 18 December.

Within the UK, the last recomended posting date for cards with Royal Mail 1st Class and 1st Class Signed For is Friday 20 December.

The Dean of Armagh, the Very Rev Shane Forster, with the new Christmas stamp featuring St Patrick's Church of Ireland Cathedral in Armagh. Picture: SWNS

placeholder image — The Dean of Armagh, the Very Rev Shane Forster, with the new Christmas stamp featuring St Patrick's Church of Ireland Cathedral in Armagh. Picture: SWNS

If you are sending a card internationally then you may have already missed some deadlines for the Royal Mail International Standard.

If you are posting to Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovakia, Switzerland – last recommended posting date is Wednesday 13 December.

For Royal Mail International Tracking and Signature services, the following advice applies:

Barbados, Belgium, Finland, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Portugal, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Ukraine: last recommended posting date is Monday 2 December.

Norway, Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria: Tuesday 3 December

Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, USA: Friday 6 December.

Armagh cathedral to feature on Royal Mail’s Christmas stamp

PARCELS

DPD

DPD Next Day and Next Day by 12: last recommended posting date for UK postcodes is Saturday 21 December except the following:

AB36-Ab38, FK17-FK21, IV1-IV62, KA27, KW1-KW14, PA20-PA33, PA35-PA38, PH19-PH50: Friday 20 December

IV63, KA28: Thursday 19 December

HS1-HS9, KW15-KW17, PA34, PA41-PA48, PA80, ZE1-ZE3: Monday 16 December

EVRI

Evri Standard Tracked: Friday 20 December by 12 noon. Evri Next Day Tracked: Saturday 21 December by 12 noon

PARCELFORCE

Parcelforce Worldwide express48 and express48 Large: Thursday 19 December. Parcelforce Worldwide express48 Large is only available in certain Post Office branches. Please contact your local branch for special availability.

For the most up-to-date and accurate information, check with your local Post Office branch. Find your nearest branch at https://www.postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder