Royal Mail Last Posting Dates
We design and print cards and prints in the UK and post them ourselves, so the timings below are the ones we work to every day. Royal Mail sets the official dates; we've flagged where the real world differs from the leaflet.
Royal Mail confirms the exact Christmas dates each autumn, and they move by a day or two depending on where the weekend falls. The pattern, though, barely changes.
Use the pattern below to plan, and check the published dates once they're out.
Cards for every occasion, posted from the UK
Printed and posted from the UK the same working day, so the only deadline is the one on the postbox.
The usual Christmas pattern for UK post
- Second Class and Signed For 2nd: around 18 December.
- First Class and Signed For 1st: around 20 December.
- Special Delivery Guaranteed: around 22 or 23 December.
- These shift each year with the weekend, so treat them as a week, not a date.
- Our own honest advice: post cards by the second week of December and stop worrying.
International Christmas cut-offs, roughly
- Australia, New Zealand and the Far East: early December, usually the first week.
- USA, Canada and most of the rest of the world: around the second week.
- Western Europe and Ireland: around the middle of the month.
- Add a week to all of these if you'd rather not gamble.
How to work out the deadline for any date
- First Class: usually next working day, including Saturdays. It is aimed at next day, not guaranteed - it's a target, not a promise.
- Second Class: supposed to be two working days, but in practice it can take up to five days anywhere in the UK.
- Neither class is tracked, so "where is it" has no answer once it's in the box.
- Working days mean Monday to Saturday. Sunday and bank holidays don't count at all.
- The last collection time on the postbox is the real deadline - miss it and your card starts its clock tomorrow.
Other dates worth a deadline
- Valentine's Day: post First Class by 12 February, Second Class by 7 February.
- Mother's Day and Father's Day: same rule, and remember both fall on a Sunday, so the card must arrive by the Saturday.
- Easter: bank holidays either side mean adding three days to whatever you'd normally allow.
- Exam results days in August: post the day before, First Class.
Prints that post flat
A5, A4 and A3 art prints, drawn in house and printed in the UK.
How to write it so it lands
- Christmas: Second Class around the 18th, First Class around the 20th.
- Any other date: two working days First Class, a week Second Class.
- Bank holidays don't count as working days.
Where to shop next
- When to post a birthday card
- How long does first and second class take?
- What to do when a card is going to be late
- How to post a card so it arrives properly
- What to write in a birthday card
- Wall art and prints
- All guides
- Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
- How to make a balloon arch
- Photo booth prop ideas
Frequently asked questions
What is the last posting date for Christmas cards?
Royal Mail usually sets Second Class at around 18 December and First Class at around 20 December, with Special Delivery a day or two later. The exact dates are confirmed each autumn and move with the weekend.
When should I post Christmas cards abroad?
Roughly the first week of December for Australia, New Zealand and the Far East, the second week for the USA and Canada, and mid-December for Western Europe. Add a week if the card must arrive.
How do I work out my own last posting date?
Count back two working days for First Class and a full week for Second Class, ignoring Sundays and bank holidays, then check the last collection time on your postbox.