Post Office Last Posting Days Christmas Delivery: A Guide to Holiday Shipping

To ensure your gifts and cards arrive on time, it's essential to know the post office's last posting days for Christmas delivery.

In the UK, the Royal Mail recommends sending first-class post by December 18th for delivery by Christmas Day.

Don't risk your packages getting stuck in transit - plan ahead and send your gifts in plenty of time.

For international deliveries, the last posting days vary depending on the destination, but as a general rule, send first-class post by December 6th for delivery by Christmas Day.

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If you're planning to send holiday mail or packages, it's essential to know the US Postal Service shipping deadlines. For addresses in the contiguous United States, the recommended mailing and shipping send-by dates for expected delivery before Dec. 25 are Dec. 18 for USPS Ground Advantage service, First-Class Mail service, and Priority Mail service, and Dec. 21 for Priority Mail Express service.

The deadlines vary for addresses in Alaska and Hawaii, with USPS Ground Advantage service due on Dec. 16, First-Class Mail service and Priority Mail service due on Dec. 18, and Priority Mail Express service due on Dec. 20.

If you're sending packages internationally or to military addresses, be sure to check the complete list of recommended holiday mailing and shipping dates on the USPS website.

Here's a summary of the recommended shipping deadlines for expected delivery before Dec. 25:

Keep in mind that these deadlines are for expected delivery before Dec. 25, and the actual delivery date may vary depending on the recipient's location and other factors.

The US Postal Service has specific deadlines for mailing and shipping packages to ensure they arrive on time for Christmas.

If you're sending packages to addresses in the contiguous United States, you can use USPS Ground Advantage service (2-5 business days) or First-Class Mail service (1–5 business days) by December 18.

For Priority Mail service (1-3 business days), you should mail by December 19, and for Priority Mail Express service (1-2 day delivery), mail by December 21.

If you're sending packages to Alaska or Hawaii, the deadlines are a bit earlier. For USPS Ground Advantage service, mail by December 16, and for First-Class Mail service, mail by December 18.

For Priority Mail service, mail by December 19, and for Priority Mail Express service, mail by December 20.

Here are the recommended mailing and shipping deadlines for Christmas delivery:

Remember to check the complete list of recommended holiday mailing and shipping dates at usps.com/holidayshippingdates for international or military addresses.

For international shipping, the last posting days for Christmas delivery vary depending on the destination country. If you're sending a parcel to the United States, the last posting day is December 13th for airmail and December 20th for surface mail.

If you're sending a parcel to Australia, the last posting day is December 6th for airmail and December 13th for surface mail. This is because Australia is a long way from the UK, so it takes longer for parcels to arrive.

For European countries like France and Germany, the last posting day is December 18th for airmail and December 20th for surface mail. This is because they are relatively close to the UK, so parcels arrive more quickly.

If you're sending a parcel to a country outside of Europe or the US, it's best to check with the postal service for the specific last posting day. This will ensure that your parcel arrives on time for Christmas.

Swiss-Express Delivery offers two types of services: Swiss-Express “Moon” delivery and SameDay delivery.

The delivery times for Swiss-Express “Moon” delivery vary depending on the posting day. For example, if you post on a Monday, your package will be delivered on Tuesday. If you post on a Tuesday, your package will be delivered on Wednesday, and so on.

If you post on a Friday, your package will be delivered on the following Saturday. However, if you post on a Saturday, your package will be delivered on the following Monday, unless you're in an area with customer-specific rounds.

Here's a breakdown of the delivery times for Swiss-Express “Moon” delivery:

For SameDay delivery, the delivery takes place on the same day, provided that the goods have been dropped off by 5:30 a.m. This service is available on certain days, including Fridays and Mondays, but not on Saturdays.

Here are the specific days when SameDay delivery is available:

If you post on any of these days, your package will be delivered on the same day, provided it's dropped off by 5:30 a.m.

For those in the contiguous United States, the Postal Service recommends sending mail and packages by Dec. 18 for expected delivery before Dec. 25. You can choose from USPS Ground Advantage service, First-Class Mail service, Priority Mail service, or Priority Mail Express service.

USPS Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail services have the same deadline of Dec. 18, and both take 2-5 business days and 1-5 business days, respectively.

Priority Mail service is a good option if you need faster delivery, with a deadline of Dec. 19 and a delivery time of 1-3 business days.

If you need even faster delivery, consider Priority Mail Express service, which has a deadline of Dec. 21 and a delivery time of 1-2 business days.

For those in Alaska and Hawaii, the deadlines are a bit earlier. For USPS Ground Advantage service, the deadline is Dec. 16, while for First-Class Mail service, it's Dec. 18.

Here's a quick rundown of the deadlines for Alaska and Hawaii:

Keep in mind that these deadlines are for mail and packages sent to addresses in Alaska and Hawaii, and may vary for international or military addresses.