Christmas post deadlines for letters and cards in the UK

Check the current official last posting dates

Royal Mail publishes Christmas last posting advice for different services. Use its Christmas last posting dates page, linked below, to check the current guidance for the service you intend to use. Check the year and service label carefully; dates copied from an older article or social-media image may not apply.

We do not publish annual last-posting dates here or guess dates before Royal Mail announces them. The relevant date is the one on the current official page, not a remembered date from last Christmas. Advice for other services or international destinations should not be treated as advice for a UK second-class letter.

Understand the delivery aims

Royal Mail says Second Class usually takes two to three working days and aims to deliver within three working days. First Class aims for the next working day. These are service aims, not a guaranteed arrival date for your particular letter, and a working day is not the same as simply counting calendar days.

Send Letter Online uses UK second-class postage, not First Class. The First Class aim is included here to explain the difference, not to suggest that it is an upgrade available through our service. Check Royal Mail's current advice when timing matters and do not turn a normal delivery aim into a Christmas promise.

Allow time before a letter reaches the post

An online order needs preparation, review, payment, printing and dispatch before postal transit begins. The Royal Mail last posting date is not an online-order deadline for our service. Ordering on that date does not establish that a letter has entered Royal Mail's network in time.

Leave plenty of margin and order well before the published Second Class date. December is busy, and last-minute corrections to an address or document can use up the time you thought you had. We do not promise a same-day printing cutoff, delivery before Christmas or a particular dispatch date. Avoid leaving important seasonal correspondence to the final days.

Make a simple preparation plan

Start by listing the people you want to write to and checking their current addresses. A relative who moved during the year may still be in your old address book. Confirm flat numbers and postcodes before you prepare the final document rather than hoping a familiar name will be enough.

Draft the text and choose any photographs, then review spelling, dates and formatting. A short, carefully prepared letter is better than rushed updates. Save the final version.

Ideas for a Christmas letter

A Christmas letter can share a few highlights from the year, thank someone for their support or include a personal memory. Write directly to the recipient rather than using a list of achievements that could be sent to anyone. A warm opening and one specific detail can make a short letter feel personal.

Explain family news for relatives who may not know the context. Respect other people's privacy. Check photographs look clear in the PDF and printed text remains readable.

Cards for relatives and what this service offers

For traditional Christmas cards you prepare yourself, check the address and Royal Mail's postage guidance for that format. Large or unusually shaped items may need different postage from ordinary letters.

Our service prints letter documents, includes an envelope and posts them; it does not offer a folded greeting-card product. You can instead write a Christmas letter or create a card-style message on an A4 document for a relative. Do not expect folded cards, special card stock or an extra gift to be supplied as part of a letter order.

Write online or upload a ready-made PDF

Use the write-a-letter flow to type your seasonal message and add a UK recipient. If you prefer to design the document elsewhere, upload the finished PDF and check every page. An uploaded PDF must already contain the full recipient address in the left envelope window area; completing the form does not reposition it.

Review the final paragraph and any image captions, not just the first page. Check the page count and price before payment. UK letters cost £2.99 for the first page plus 35p per extra page, including printing, an envelope and UK second-class postage. Keep a copy of the reviewed document for your own records.

Keep expectations realistic

Updates describe processing and dispatch, not delivery tracking or guaranteed Christmas arrival. If receipt by a particular date is essential, choose a suitable alternative instead of a late second-class order. Prepare early and recheck official advice before sending.

Frequently asked questions

Where are this year's last posting dates?

Check Royal Mail's Christmas last posting dates page. This guide does not reproduce or predict annual dates.

Can I order on Royal Mail's Second Class deadline?

Do not rely on that. Printing and dispatch happen before postal transit, so order well before the published date and leave plenty of margin.

Do you send folded Christmas cards?

No. You can prepare a seasonal letter or an A4 card-style message, but the service does not supply folded greeting cards.

Official guidance

Royal Mail: Christmas last posting dates — check the current service-specific advice