With just over two weeks to go until Christmas Day it’s time for people to consider how they are going to get their presents to their loved ones – especially if they are abroad.
The Post Office estimates that Monday 11 December will be the day the largest number of packages will be sent – well ahead of time to get to most countries before Christmas Day.
But with that day falling on a Monday, the usual last mailing date is pushed back because Christmas Eve is a Sunday. And with the ever-present threat of snow or strikes, consumers have been urged not to leave it to the last minute.
What are the deadlines?
There are different ones depending on whether you want to send a gift yourself via a delivery company, or order through a retailer and get them to send it.
Parcel delivery aggregator ParcelHero has a useful tool which shows the final days you should be arranging to send something in time for a 23 December arrival. Unfortunately, if you wanted to send something to Christmas Island, that deadline passed last week. But if the destination is New Zealand, Friday 15th the latest date.
For Australia, it’s Monday 18th; with the US, Canada and Spain, you have, in theory, got until the 20th. You will be able to send within Britain, and to France, until the 21st.
Royal Mail puts the final dates as the 18th for second-class mail and the 20th for first class within the UK.
For retailers, Amazon and Argos will be able to deliver in the UK for Christmas up to the 24th. At Asos, it’s the 23rd, while at Currys, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer, it’s the 22nd, according to ParcelHero. Sending to foreign parts will usually involve an earlier deadline.
What you can and can’t send
There are significant restrictions on what you can and cannot send abroad – some logical and some unexpected.
Don’t try to send a Kinder Egg to the US, as importing them is banned by the government. And many couriers restrict sending perfume because of its alcohol content and the fact it is often in a pressurised container.
Common sense applies to many items that you can’t send: drugs, cash, firearms and pornography will be refused. But each carrier has its own list on top of that. Evri (formerly Hermes) will not take sharp instruments such as knives, nor oils; TNT prohibits fine art; DPD stops jewellery and fur; while UPS declines watches with a value of $500 (£400) or more, and ivory.
Many carriers refuse to take alcohol. Royal Mail does allow you to send booze of between 24% and 70% alcohol by volume – such as whisky, rum and vodka – provided it is up to one litre, and only within the UK.
There are also particular rules around batteries. Carriers will often allow them if they are in the device that they are powering – such as a phone – but not as separate items.
To avoid items being refused close to the posting deadline, be sure you know the conditions beforehand.
David Jinks of ParcelHero says some rules are so strict that even the packaging can be scrutinised. Because of rules around plants in Australia, it could be that something packaged in wood chips will be refused.
View image in fullscreenRoyal Mail is frequently the cheapest way to send smaller parcels. Photograph: Ken Jack/Getty Images
Getting the best deal
There are any number of options, and prices, when it comes to sending items at Christmas. What you pay depends on the usual variety of factors – from destination to weight and dimensions, as well as whether it is collected or dropped off.
Using an aggregator such as Parcel2Go, ParcelHero or Worldwide Parcel Services will give you a snapshot of what different companies charge for the same job. But make sure you get the measurements and the weight right so you are not inadvertently moved up to the next charging band. Martin Lewis’s MoneySavingExpert site says the main deciding factor is weight.
Royal Mail is usually the cheapest when the item is less than 1kg, although the difference can often be a small amount. Anything heavier and the discount courier sites usually offer a better deal, it says.
And if you are buying from an online store, and sending the item as a present, it is usually best to get the retailer to deliver, as postage can be free once you go over a certain amount. Many retailers offer a wrapping service too – but this does mean missing out on the personal touch.
Paying customs and VAT
Since Brexit, posting packages overseas has become more complicated. Taxes and customs charges may be due.
If you are posting to the EU, gifts with a value of less than €45 (£38) are exempt from charges. These charges can differ depending on what country you are sending to. For instance, Ireland has a VAT rate of 23%, while Luxembourg’s is 17% and Sweden’s is 25%.
Some couriers let you pay this charge in advance, so that the person receiving the gift does not have to, but this may be subject to an additional charge.
When you are sending a package, you must fill out a customs declaration form detailing what is inside and the value of each item.
It is important to provide as much detail as possible – so just writing “clothes” is not enough, according to the website ParcelBroker. Instead, you should put what gender they are for and what they are made of – so “Men’s cotton socks”.
Most importantly, don’t just write “gifts”: this could lead to your package being opened and examined, warns Jinks.
