Last Posting Dates for Christmas 2026

Have the official 2026 dates been announced?

Not yet. As of 30 September 2026, Royal Mail has not published its official Christmas 2026 last posting dates — its Christmas page says they will be confirmed later in the year, usually in October. The dates below are the official 2025 dates published by the Post Office, and they make a reliable planning benchmark: Royal Mail’s deadlines typically land within a day or two of the previous year’s. This page will be updated as soon as the 2026 dates are confirmed.

Last posting dates for Christmas 2025 (official — use for planning)

• Royal Mail 2nd Class: Wednesday 17 December
• Royal Mail Tracked 48: Friday 19 December
• Royal Mail 1st Class: Saturday 20 December
• Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed: Tuesday 23 December

Source: the Post Office’s Christmas last posting dates page. Other services such as Tracked 24 and Parcelforce typically fall between these dates — check the Post Office page for the full list.

Deliveries over Christmas week 2026

Christmas Day falls on Friday 25 December 2026 and Boxing Day on Saturday 26 December, so Monday 28 December is a substitute bank holiday. Royal Mail normally runs no collections or deliveries on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and substitute bank holidays, with a reduced service on Christmas Eve (Thursday 24 December). Plan for normal service to resume on Tuesday 29 December.

Posting tips for Christmas 2026

• Treat the last posting date as a deadline, not a target — post a few days earlier to build in a buffer.
• 2nd Class is the cheapest way to send cards; aim to post them by around 17 December.
• Left it late? Special Delivery Guaranteed is the only service with a money-back on-time guarantee, usually available until 23 December.
• Sending abroad? International deadlines fall much earlier — typically late November to mid December depending on the destination — and the 2026 dates are also still to be confirmed.
• Check the Post Office’s official last posting dates page in October for the confirmed 2026 schedule.