Christmas is coming fast, and so are the Australia Post deadlines for having your parcels delivered to friends and family in time for opening on the 25th.

If you haven’t sent your parcels yet, there’s only a few more days to do so, especially if they’re going overseas.

If you’re just sending cards and letters this year within Australia, you still have a bit of time, but you better start writing them now.

Of course, Australia Post says parcels sent after their deadlines will still get delivered as fast as possible, but there’s no promise of them reaching their destination in time for Christmas. There’s nothing worse than opening a late Christmas present right?

Here are the cut-off dates below.

Sending a parcel within Australia (not WA and NT)

You’ve got until Monday 12th December 2022 to use Parcel Post and after that you’ll have to use Express Post up until Monday 19th December 2022.

Sending a parcel to WA and NT

The Parcel Post deadline has been and gone, so you’ll need to use Express Post now. The deadline for this is Wednesday 14th December 2022.

Sending a parcel to Norfolk Island

Australia Post says final posting dates are Monday 12th December for Express Post and before Tuesday 15th November for all other services.

Sending cards and letters in Australia by regular post

These deadline are a little more forgiving (and it’s just 65 cents to send a card, so the prices are more forgiving too).

If you’re sending a card or letter within the same state as you live, the deadline is Monday 19th December 2022. If you’re sending them interstate, the deadline is a little sooner, on Thursday 15th December 2022.

Sending parcels overseas

The Standard Post deadlines for sending parcels overseas has now passed, so you’ll need to use Parcel Express if you want your gifts to be delivered in time. For New Zealand, USA, UK and Europe, the deadline is this Friday 9th December 2022.

Unfortunately the deadline for sending parcels to most of Asia has been and gone now (it was November).

Happy gift wrapping!