Last posting dates for Christmas 2019: When are the Royal Mail deadlines for the UK and internationally?
Once the presents have been wrapped and cards have been written, all that's left to do is send them to our family and friends ahead of the last posting dates for Christmas 2019.
You want to make sure your Christmas post arrives in plenty of time, and it is worth noting that the deadline for second class mail is Wednesday, December 18 this year.
To make sure you get your cards and presents to your loved ones on time this year, read our guide to the last Christmas post and order dates for Royal Mail and Amazon (plus some advice on how to send a letter to Santa).
Royal Mail's last Christmas posting dates for 2019
Royal Mail’s latest recommended posting dates for delivery in the UK in 2019 are:
Wednesday, December 18 for second class mail
Friday, December 20 for first class mail
Monday, December 23 for special delivery
When will Royal Mail not deliver post?
There will be no delivery and collection service from Christmas Day through to Boxing day, however normal service will resume on Friday, December 27.
On New Year's Day there will be no deliveries or collections. In Scotland, January 2 is a bank holiday so there will be no deliveries or collections north of the border.
When are the last dates for sending post abroad?
Unfortunately, the last posting dates for International Economy (formerly known as Surface Mail) destinations have now passed:
Saturday, November 2 for Cyprus, Eastern Europe, Greece, Iceland, Malta and Turkey
Saturday, November 16 for Western Europe
If you want to reach the rest of the world using the International Standard (formerly known as Airmail) service these are the latest recommended posting dates for your diary.
Most of these dates have already passed, but there is still time to send Christmas cards to a few destinations, including France and Ireland:
Monday, December 9 for Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central and South America, Far and Middle East
Tuesday, December 10 for Cyrpus and Malta
Wednesday, December 11 for Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia)
Thursday, December 12 for Greece, Turkey, Australia and New Zealand
Saturday, December 14 for the Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Canada and USA
Monday, December 16 for Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Portugal, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Switzerland and Spain
Wednesday, December 18 for Belgium, France, Ireland and Luxembourg
The last dates for International Standard HM Forces Mail for British Forces Post Offices (BFPOs) are Monday, November 25 for operational BFPOs, and Friday, December 13 for static BFPOs.
Amazon's last order dates for Christmas 2019
Saturday, December 21 for Free Delivery.
Sunday, December 22 for Standard Delivery.
Monday, December 23 for One-Day Delivery. Your order will arrive on Tuesday, December 24. Prime members get unlimited One-Day delivery, while non-Prime members pay £4.99.
Tuesday, December 24 for Same-Day Delivery and Prime Now 2-Hour Delivery. To get your order on the same day, you should aim to get it in before noon, though the cut off time depends on the product and your location.
When is the last day to send a letter to Father Christmas?
At Christmas time, Royal Mail sends letters from Santa Claus for free. Sadly, it's now too late to write a letter to Father Christmas, as the deadline was Friday, December 6.
For more festive features and Christmas gift inspiration, read our handy guides on Christmas trees, decorations and stocking fillers.
