Top tips to make sure your gifts arrive under the tree
This year, many of us will be sending Christmas gifts to friends and family through the post rather than giving in person, so it's good to know what steps you can take to make sure your gifts arrive safely and on time. To help, we've put together some top tips covering last postage dates, how to get the best postage deal and keeping valuable items safe.
Post early, particularly for international deliveries – Ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, reduced air and freight capacity and winter weather conditions are all impacting local delivery across the globe.
Check the last posting dates – The last posting date for USA delivery is Monday 13 December, 2nd Class is Saturday 18 December and 1st Class is Tuesday 21 December. More key posting dates are available on the Royal Mail website.
Make sure valuable items are covered by compensation cover – If sending valuable or time-sensitive items, choose the right postal product and level of insurance cover to meet your needs.
Protect your fragile items – Package up your parcels well and label fragile items clearly.
Shop around for the best deal before purchasing your postage – To get the best value, post your letters as early as possible so you can benefit from economy postal services, such as second class mail. For parcels, use our free Parcelpal NI tool to help you shop around for the best deal.
Always check the recipient’s details are correct – Before you post your item, check the address is listed correctly. It’s always a good idea to put a return address on your parcel in case for any reason it can't be delivered.
If you want to know more about getting the most from your post, download our sending letters and parcels guide. You can also contact us for free support and information on FREEPHONE 0800 121 6022 by emailing contact@consumercouncil.org.uk.
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