Despite the relaxing of COVID-19 rules this Christmas, a lot of people will still be exercising caution over the festive season, so it's set to be even busier than usual for UK postal services.
Up to three households will be allowed to form a Christmas “bubble” over the festive period as coronavirus restrictions are relaxed for five days across the UK.
Despite families being able to mix at home, restrictive measures on travel will mean more people than ever will be posting their Christmas presents this year.
While global coronavirus restrictions are expected to remain in place for many countries during the festive season, postal services have urged people across the UK to post early.
The announcements were made to ensure cards and gifts reach family and friends abroad in time.
Here are the last posting dates with Royal Mail for domestic and international destinations for Christmas 2020:
Domestic
- Royal Mail 2nd Class & 2nd Class Signed For – Friday 18 December
- Royal Mail 1st Class & 1st Class Signed For – Monday 21 December
- Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed Parcelforce Worldwide express– Wednesday 23 December
International
Royal Mail International Economy
- Monday 5 October All non-European destinations (except South Africa, Canada, Middle and Far East, USA)
- Monday 12 October Middle and Far East, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa
- Monday 2 November Canada, Cyprus, Eastern Europe, Greece, Iceland, Malta, Turkey, USA
- Monday 16 November Western Europe
Royal Mail International Standard and International tracking and signature services
- Friday 4 December Australia and New Zealand
- Wednesday 9 December Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central and South America, Far and Middle East
- Thursday 10 December Canada, Cyprus and Malta
- Friday 11 December Greece, Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia) and Turkey
- Saturday 12 December Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Poland, Sweden, USA
- Wednesday 16 December Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland
- Friday 18 December Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg
HM Forces Mail BFPOs
- Airmail to Operational BFPOs – Monday 30 November
- Airmail to Static BFPOs – Monday 7 December
Here are the last posting dates with Parcel Force for domestic and international destinations for Christmas 2020:
Domestic
- Parcelforce Worldwide – Tuesday 22 December
International
- Parcelforce Worldwide: Global Express
- Australia – Tuesday 15 December
- Russia, New Zealand, China – Wednesday 16 December
- Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, USA – Friday 18 December
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article