The end (of the year) is nigh, Black Friday week is out of the way and the scramble for Christmas presents for food and drink lovers in Ireland gathers pace.
I’d love to say that I’m fully prepared, lists made, boxes ticked and the pressure off, but I’d be lying if I said I was.
Sure, a lot of people are going to be shopping on Amazon or ordering off other websites, hoping the delivery vans turn up in plenty of time to save you sweating it out in the days leading into Christmas so if that’s your plan, or if you’re intending to post gifts within Ireland or overseas, it’s good to know when the cut-off dates are.
When is the last post for Christmas?
For December 2024, An Post has five services aimed at six destinations for Christmas post. These include standard post letters and parcels, registered post, express post and DHL deliveries, going within Ireland, to Northern Ireland, the UK, rest of Europe, USA and rest of the world.
At the time of writing, there is an issue delivering mail to Canada due to an ongoing Canadian mail strike that began in mid-November.
If you’re using the AddressPal service to bring in food gifts or goodies from the USA or UK, your last day to order from the USA is Thursday 12 December while your last day to order from the UK is Tuesday 17 December.
The further away you want to send something, the sooner you’ll want to be acting. Need to send a care parcel of crisps or chocolate to Australia? You’d want to be heading to the post office by this Thursday. If you’ve got a cookbook you’re planning on sending to your aunt in France, you’d want to do it by Thursday of next week. However, if you’re looking for a ‘rest of the world’ type delivery, get your skates on as the cut-off date is tomorrow.
For letters, parcels, or courier deliveries, see the breakdown below.
Last posting dates in Ireland for Christmas 2024
Per An Post, these are the last posting dates in Ireland for the Christmas period for delivery prior to Christmas Day. All post offices will open later until 5.30pm on Saturday 14 December and Saturday 21 December. Find out more here.
Ireland
- Standard post letters: 22 December
- Standard post parcels: 21 December
- Registered post: 20 December
- Express post: 20 December
Northern Ireland
- Standard post letters: 19 December
- Standard post parcels: 19 December
- Registered post: 19 December
- Express post: 19 December
Great Britain
- Standard post letters: 18 December
- Standard post parcels: 18 December
- Registered post: 18 December
- Express post: 18 December
- DHL: 18 December
Rest of Europe
- Standard post letters: 17 December
- Standard post parcels: 12 December
- Registered post: 17 December
- Express post: 17 December
- DHL: 18 December
USA
- Standard post letters: 10 December
- Standard post parcels: 5 December
- Registered post: 5 December
- Express post: 10 December
- DHL: 16 December
Rest of the World
- Standard post letters: 5 December
- Standard post parcels: 5 December
- Registered post: 5 December
- Express post: 10 December
- DHL: 16 December
Tips for shopping online this Christmas
If you’re shopping for food lovers this Christmas or looking for a foodie treat for yourself, you won’t be shy of options around Ireland. From coffee to honey, books to gadgets and gizmos, there are plenty to choose from, especially from Irish producers and retailers.
Here are a few handy tips to keep in mind when shopping online this month.
1. Plan for shipping deadlines
While I’ve listed the cut-off dates for Christmas post above, delivery times can still be unpredictable, so check the last guaranteed shipping dates for your destination and, if you can, bring it forward a day. High demand, Irish winter weather and more have a part to play, so aim to place your orders well in advance, ideally before the deadlines to ensure your gifts arrive on time.
2. Account for packing and handling time
Even though you’re shopping online, remember that producers or sellers need time to pack your orders. Some retailers will be on the ball, and may have an army of people to help out, or an army of robots depending on their size. Independent traders may take longer at this time of year, especially if they have to deal with high volumes or custom gifts. Look for information on processing times and order early to avoid stress.
3. Use secure payment methods
When shopping online, whether at Christmas or any other time of year, always use secure payment methods, like credit cards or trusted payment services (PayPal, Stripe, Apple Pay), to minimise the risk of fraud. Make sure the website you’re buying from is legit and secure (look for “https” in the URL and a padlock symbol in your browser’s address bar) before entering any payment details. If in doubt, look for contact information on the website and reach out to the retailer directly.
4. Check return policies
Review the retailer’s return and exchange policies before making any purchase online at Christmas – these can usually be found at the checkout stage or may be linked to in the footer of the website.
During Christmas, stores may extend their return windows, but it’s crucial to know the details—whether you can get a refund, exchange an item, or how long you have to return it. This will save you hassle if something isn’t quite right. As far as I’m aware, Amazon (as an example) are very clear on this per-product when you’re shopping in December through January.
5. Keep an eye on promotions and discounts
Many online stores run holiday promotions, but be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true. Sure, we’ve just come through Black Friday, and there are bound to be January sales, but if you think you’ve found the *one* website you can *definitely* get the gift you’re after, just make sure that it’s legitimate, and always check the final price (including shipping and any taxes).
Ensure that you’re purchasing from legitimate retailers, and always double-check the final price (including shipping and taxes). Some sites may offer free shipping or special discounts around Christmas time, so take advantage of these to save on shipping costs.
However, if you’re ordering from outside the EU, do your homework on customs charges. A football jersey I bought on sale this year at 50% off cost me the same again in import and shipping charges – consider that a word of caution.
Reminder: An Post’s Last Postal Dates For Christmas 2024
As a caveat, the last dates for posting for 2024 may be subject to change, including for international mail deliveries. If in doubt, check with your local post office.
