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 December 18
  • Royal Mail 1st Class & 1st Class Signed For –  Monday December 21
  • Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed Parcelforce Worldwide express–  Wednesday December 23

International

Royal Mail International Economy

  • Monday October 5 All non-European destinations (except South Africa, Canada, Middle and Far East, USA)
  • Monday October 12 Middle and Far East, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa
  • Monday November 2 Canada, Cyprus, Eastern Europe, Greece, Iceland, Malta, Turkey, USA
  • Monday November 16 Western Europe

Royal Mail  International Standard and International tracking and signature services

  • Friday December 4 Australia and New Zealand
  • Wednesday December 9 Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central and South America, Far and Middle East
  • Thursday December 10 Canada, Cyprus and Malta
  • Friday December 11 Greece, Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia) and Turkey
  • Saturday December 12 Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Poland, Sweden, USA
  • Wednesday December 16 Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland
  • Friday December 18 Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg

HM Forces Mail BFPOs

  • Airmail to Operational BFPOs – Monday November 30
  • Airmail to Static BFPOs – Monday December 7

Here are the last posting dates with Parcel Force for domestic and international destinations for Christmas 2020: 

Domestic

  • Parcelforce Worldwide –  Tuesday December 22

International

  • Parcelforce Worldwide: Global Express​
  • Australia – Tuesday December 15
  • Russia, New Zealand, China – Wednesday December 16
  • Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, USA – Friday December 18