Christmas posting season is a critical time for businesses. To make sure your customer cards, gifts and last-minute mailings arrive before the big day, planning is essential. Here’s a friendly, easy-to-scan guide to Royal Mail and Parcelforce last posting dates for Christmas 2025 — plus practical tips to help your campaign hit doorsteps on time.
Key UK last posting dates (business services)
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Monday 15 December – Economy services for delivery over the Christmas period (Royal Mail Bulk Mail Economy; Business Mail® Economy; Advertising Mail® Economy).
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Wednesday 17 December – 2nd Class (and 2nd Class Signed For), Surface Airlift 2nd Class, 2nd Class Business/Advertising/Publishing Mail.
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Friday 19 December – Royal Mail 48® and Royal Mail Tracked 48® (note: Tracked 48 returns must be posted by 19 Dec to arrive back before Christmas).
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Saturday 20 December – 1st Class (and 1st Class Signed For), 1st Class Business/Advertising/Publishing Mail; Royal Mail 24®.
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Sunday 21 December – Royal Mail Tracked 24® and Publishing Mail Premium (posted by 1am).
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Tuesday 23 December – Special Delivery Guaranteed® (last chance for next-day guaranteed delivery in many cases).
Parcelforce UK last posting dates
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Friday 19 December – express48 and express48large.
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Monday 22 December – express10, expressAM and express24.
Economy deferred service windows (plan for quieter delivery days)
- Post by Monday 15 December for delivery from Saturday 27 December 2025.
- Post by Monday 22 December for delivery from Friday 2 January 2026.
Practical tips for businesses (so your mail arrives on time)
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Post early: don’t wait for the last date—postal volumes spike in December.
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Choose tracked or guaranteed services for high-value items or time-sensitive offers.
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Use clear CTAs and PURLs/QR codes to drive online conversions even if physical delivery is later.
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Segment your sends: spread volume across multiple postage dates to avoid bottlenecks.
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Check addresses and clean your file to reduce returns and delays.
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Confirm international deadlines if sending overseas — international LPDs differ and can be earlier. For updates see Royal Mail’s international bulletin.
Getting your festive mail right is about timing and service choice. Want help scheduling, printing or choosing the right postage class for your Christmas campaigns? We manage everything—from data cleaning to posting—so your mail reaches customers when it matters most.
Thank you for reading! We hope this blog has provided you with some valuable insights on direct mail, happy marketing!
