Happy holidays ya filthy animals, there’s only two weeks ’till Christmas so the time for your online shopping is running out. If you’ve left your gift-buying last minute, don’t panic: Australia Post has released its yearly Christmas deadlines to help make sure your loved ones don’t end up with empty stockings this year.
Last year was a chaotic time for Christmas shopping given we were all under lockdown until just before the holiday. While we’re now in our fourth wave a year later, it looks like we’ve adapted enough that shipping deadlines aren’t too affected.
When is AusPost’s deadline for shipping in Australia before Christmas?
For most states in Australia, you’ll have to have your pressies bought and shipped before December 12 — that’s the last sending date for standard deliveries.
If you want to send your shipping via express, you’ve got until December 19 to send your presents. That last one sounds a little too close to the actual Christmas date for my liking but go off.
People living in Western Australia and the Northern Territory: your dates are a little different.
For you lot, the deadline for standard deliveries was December 7 (rip). So if you haven’t shipped your Christmas parcels yet, you’ll have to opt for express shipping which has a sending deadline of December 14.
Hot tip: places like Amazon also offer free express shipping for members, sometimes with next day delivery, so that could be a way to save some $$ and get your gifts on time.
If you’re just sending cards or letters, you have until December 19 if you want them to arrive by Christmas.
What’s the Christmas deadline for international parcels?
I’m sorry to say it friends, but the deadline for AusPost parcels to be shipped overseas before Christmas has already passed for standard shipping. However, you can still get Christmas packages sent by express to New Zealand, USA, UK and other major European destinations if you send them today. December 9 is the deadline.
Australia Post says parcels sent after that date will of course still be delivered as quickly as possible, but there’s no guarantee they’ll get there by Christmas.
If you need me, I’m going to be wrapping up the last bits of my holiday shopping now to get in early. I will not have my cousins calling me the Grinch for another year.
