L is for...Last Posting Dates

In recent years there has been a decline in the amount of Christmas cards and mail in general that is being sent. There are a number of reasons for this – environmental, high cost of postage, the increased use of email, social media and internet messaging services and the basic fact that some people simply cannot be bothered to write or send cards.

For many of us we still can't escape the need to send post at this time of year and get it in the letter box by the dreaded last posting date to ensure a Christmas delivery. Most of the lasting posting dates for abroad have already gone but if you're quick you'll be able to get those precious cards sent in time. Here's a rundown of those vital dates:

USA – Friday 13^th December 2013

Airmail to Static BFPOs – Friday 13^th December 2013

Western Europe (excluding France, Greece, Poland as these were 10^th December) - 14^th December 2013

UK Second Class Mail and Signed For – Wednesday 18^th December 2013

UK First Class Mail and Signed For – Friday 20^th December 2013

Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed – Monday 23^rd December 2013

So that's all your Royal Mail post sorted but what about all that online shopping? There's too many companies for me to list here but I have found a rather handy website called Last Post For Christmas that has trawled the internet and complied all the information for you.

This panic is all a far cry from when the postal system as we know it today first started in Victorian times. In London there were between six and twelve deliveries each day. Letters posted in London were usually delivered on the same day. The last posting date was Christmas Eve and there was even a single delivery on Christmas Day.