Christmas 2026 last posting dates: Royal Mail, Parcelforce, Evri and DPD
Christmas Day is a Friday this year. The last recommended date for Royal Mail second class is Friday 18 December, and first class is Monday 21 December. Here are the confirmed UK dates for Royal Mail, Parcelforce, Evri and DPD.
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The dates
Christmas Day 2026 falls on a Friday. The Post Office has published the last recommended posting dates for delivery before Christmas for Royal Mail, Parcelforce, Evri and DPD. These are the latest days to post at a branch, before its final acceptance time, and expect delivery in time. They aren't guarantees for every service, and posting earlier is always safer.
At a glance
- Royal Mail 2nd Class: Friday 18 December.
- Royal Mail Tracked 48: Saturday 19 December.
- Royal Mail 1st Class: Monday 21 December.
- Royal Mail Tracked 24: Monday 21 December.
- Royal Mail Special Delivery: Wednesday 23 December.
- Parcelforce express48: Monday 21 December. express24: Tuesday 22 December.
- Evri Standard Tracked: Saturday 19 December. Evri Next Day Tracked: Monday 21 December.
- DPD 2 Day: Saturday 19 December. DPD Next Day: Monday 21 December. DPD Gold: Wednesday 23 December.
The small print
The Post Office says DPD parcels to remote postcodes should be sent earlier, and that Evri's dates are "subject to change". Final acceptance times vary by branch, so if you're posting on the last day, check your local branch's times. If you're dropping a parcel at a locker or shop for Evri or DPD directly, check the carrier's own cut-off.
Sending abroad
The Post Office says international dates for Evri and DPD "will be published as soon as they are available". It doesn't list Royal Mail's international dates by country, and we couldn't confirm them from Royal Mail's own site. Long-haul mail needs much longer than UK post, so if you're sending to Australia, New Zealand, Asia or the Americas, post as soon as you can and check Royal Mail's international last posting dates before you go.
Buying online? Your rights if it arrives late
When you buy from a UK retailer, the goods are at the retailer's risk until they're in your hands, under section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. If a parcel goes missing in the post, it's the retailer's job to sort it out, not yours to chase the courier.
If you agreed a delivery date with the retailer and made clear it was essential, for example "must arrive by 23 December, it's a Christmas present", and it doesn't arrive in time, section 28 of the Act lets you treat the contract as at an end and get your money back. Say so in writing when you order, or in the order notes.
A worked example
Gill has 30 Christmas cards to post. With second class stamps at 91p each, that's £27.30. With first class at £1.80, it's £54. Posting by Friday 18 December saves her £26.70. She also has one present to send to her nephew. She posts it on Wednesday 16 December with tracking, rather than on the last day, so there's time to chase it if something goes wrong.
What to do now
- Put the dates in your calendar, especially Friday 18 December for second class.
- Post presents a few days before the last date. Use a tracked service for anything valuable.
- Ask for a free certificate of posting at the Post Office for untracked items, so you have proof you sent them.
- Buying online? Check each retailer's own last order date for Christmas delivery. Most publish it in late November or early December.
- Sending abroad? Do it now, and check Royal Mail's international dates before you post.
Questions
Does second class still arrive in time if I post on 18 December?
It's the last recommended date, not a guarantee. Posting earlier gives you a margin.
Is Black Friday too late or too early for presents?
Black Friday is 27 November and Cyber Monday is 30 November. Orders placed then should have plenty of time to arrive. If something is faulty, you'll still have time to return it.
What if a retailer's courier loses my parcel?
Contact the retailer, not the courier. Under the Consumer Rights Act the goods are its responsibility until they reach you.
Ways to save
Second class is half the price of first for cards, so post early. If you'd rather not queue, Moonpig sends cards and gifts direct. For presents delivered to the door, see our notonthehighstreet, Amazon, John Lewis, Argos and Very pages, and check each one's Christmas delivery cut-off when you order.
Sources: Post Office: last posting dates 2026, Royal Mail: Christmas last posting dates, Royal Mail: prices 2026, Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 28, Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 29
More on your rights when you shop
- Christmas order running late? When you can cancel for a full refund
- Fireworks law: the 11pm curfew, the Bonfire Night and Diwali exceptions, and who to call
- Problem with a private dentist? Your right to a refund or a fix, and where to complain
- Complaints to the Financial Ombudsman jump to 57,000: how to take your bank or insurer to it for free
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