Santa might blitz his Christmas shopping in one night, but the rest of us are usually winging it with half-wrapped gifts and a roll of emergency tape. Not this year. Dodge the Christmas Eve panic with our guide to the key last order dates and posting deadlines for Christmas 2025.
As the festive rush kicks in, online shopping makes gifting way easier – but the delivery cut-offs? Not so much. Some retailers stop guaranteeing Christmas delivery as early as the 18th, while others let you sneak in an order on the 23rd.
Use this guide to stay ahead of the rush: we’ll walk you through the last order dates for big retailers and the all-important last posting dates for Royal Mail and Evri.
Jump to the dates you need:
- Retailer Christmas Delivery Deadlines
- Supermarket Delivery Slots
- Royal Mail Last Posting Dates 2025
- Evri Last Posting Dates 2025
- Christmas Discount Codes
Get Your Christmas Gifts in Time: Last Order Deadlines by Retailer
Every retailer cuts off Christmas delivery at a different time, which is great for choice and terrible for your stress levels. To save you from 11pm panic-Googling on 22 December, here’s a tidy roundup of the final order dates, deadlines and delivery-cost quirks that matter.
Use the tables below to spot when to order, which shops give you a little extra breathing room, and where next-day or click & collect is actually worth it – not just an expensive gamble.
Supermarket delivery slots
Top picks if your gift list includes food, booze or last-minute party essentials. These run Christmas delivery slots that fill up fast, so they’re worth watching early.
|
Brand |
Last Delivery Date | Order Deadline | Delivery Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iceland | 20–24 December (delivery slots) | Amend order until 11pm the night before | Delivery free over £40; otherwise typically £3–£5 depending on slot and location. |
| Morrisons | 20–24 December (delivery slots) | Amend order until 11pm the night before | Delivery £3–£5 depending on slot; minimum order £25. Delivery Pass holders get free delivery. |
| Ocado | 20–24 December (delivery slots) | Amend order until 11:59pm the night before | Fees vary by slot demand (£2.99–£6.99 typical). Smart Pass members get reduced-rate or free delivery. |
| Sainsbury's | 18–24 December (delivery slots) | Amend order until 11pm the night before | Delivery £1–£5.50 for £40+ spend; £7 under £40. Delivery Pass holders save more. |
| Tesco | 20–24 December (grocery slots) | Varies by slot | Slot-based delivery fees. Non-food varies by seller. |
| Waitrose | 20–24 December (delivery slots) | Amend order until 11pm the night before | Delivery usually £3–£6, free on higher-value orders; click & collect free. |
Big retailers & department stores
Grab everything from tech to slippers in one go — while still having a shot at Christmas delivery. These are the go-to stops when you’re juggling lots of gifts.
|
Brand |
Last Delivery Date | Order Deadline | Delivery Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | Up to 23–24 December | Varies per item | Prime items show an Arrives before Christmas badge. Delivery fees vary by speed and item. |
| Argos | 24 December | Order by 5pm for same-day Fast Track | Fast Track £3.95; click & collect until Christmas Eve on in-stock items. |
| John Lewis | 20 December (Standard) 22–23 December (Next-Day / Click & Collect) |
Order by evening | Standard £4.50 free over £50; next-day £7.50. |
| M&S | 20 December (Standard) 22–23 December (Next-Day) |
Varies by service | Standard £3.99 free over £60; next-day £5.99. |
| Debenhams | 19 December (Standard) 22–23 December (Next-Day) |
Next-day orders by 8pm | Standard £3.99; next-day £4.99. Beauty brands sometimes have different rules. |
| House of Fraser | 19 December (Standard) 22 December (Next-Day) |
Express orders typically by 8pm | Standard £4.99; next-day £6.99. Some concessions ship separately. |
| Selfridges | 19 December (Standard) 22–23 December (Express) |
Express orders usually by 6pm | Standard £5.95; next-day £7.95. Luxury or marketplace items may cut off earlier. |
| Very | 23 December | Order by 7pm | Next-day £4.99. |
Fashion & footwear
Buying party outfits, festive pyjamas or that pair of trainers everyone will pretend they don’t want but really does? These are your reliable fashion stops.
|
Brand |
Last Delivery Date | Order Deadline | Delivery Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASOS | 21 December (Standard) 23 December (Next-Day) |
Standard end of day; next-day by 23 Dec | Standard £4.50 free over £40; next-day £5.95 or free with Premier. |
| Boden | ~19 December | Standard cut-off | Standard ~£3.95; express ~£6–£7. |
| Boux Avenue | ~19 December | Standard cut-off | Standard £3.95; next-day £5.95. |
| Cotton Traders | ~19 December | Standard cut-off | Standard £3.99 or free over £35; express £5.99. |
| Charles Tyrwhitt | ~19 December | Standard cut-off | Standard £4.95; express £9.95. |
| Footasylum | 19 December 22 December (Next-Day) |
Order next-day by evening | Standard £3.95 free over £30; next-day £4.99. |
| Joseph Turner | 18–19 December | Standard cut-off | Standard £4.95; express £9.95. |
| Next | 23 December (Next-Day Delivery) | Order by 11:45pm for next-day to home or store | Standard £4.95; next-day to store often free or 25p; home next-day £4.95. |
| Nike | 19 December (Standard) 21–23 December (Express) |
Order express by evening | Standard £4.50 free for Members; express £8. |
| Office Shoes | 19 December 22 December (Next-Day) |
End of day | Standard £3.99; next-day £5.99. |
| River Island | 19–20 December 22–23 December (Next-Day) |
Varies | Standard £4 free over £15; next-day £5. |
| Schuh | 19 December (Standard) 22 December (Next-Day) |
Order by late afternoon | Standard £3.99 free over £80; next-day £4.99. |
| Teva | Follows retailer timelines | N/A | Delivery depends on the retailer selling Teva. |
| White Stuff | ~19 December 22 December (Next-Day) |
Varies | Standard £3.95; next-day £6.95. |
| Yours Clothing | 19 December 22–23 December (Next-Day) |
Order by 8pm | Standard £3.99; next-day £5.99. |
Beauty, skincare & pampering gifts
For the people getting a little something from the beauty aisle — and yes, that absolutely includes you.
|
Brand |
Last Delivery Date | Order Deadline | Delivery Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| allbeauty.com | 19 December (Tracked) 22 December (Next-Day) |
Order by midnight | Tracked £3.95 or free over £25; next-day £7.95. |
| Boots | 19 December (Standard) 21 December (Express) |
Varies by service | Standard £3.75 free over £25; next-day £4.95. |
| Charlotte Tilbury | ~19 December | Standard cut-off | Standard £3.95; next-day £5.95. |
| Neal’s Yard Remedies | 18–19 December | Standard cut-off | Standard £3.95; next-day £6.95. |
| Superdrug | 20 December (Standard) 23 December (Next-Day) |
Next-day orders by 8pm | Standard £3 or free over £25; next-day £5.50. |
| Ann Summers | 19–21 December | Standard & express timelines vary | Standard ~£3.99; next-day ~£5.99. |
Toys, books, games & fun
Essential when you’re juggling kids, games nights and last-minute wish lists.
|
Brand |
Last Delivery Date | Order Deadline | Delivery Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Entertainer | 18–20 December 22–23 December (Next-Day) |
Varies | Standard ~£3.99; next-day ~£5.99. |
| Smyths Toys | 20–24 December (varies by region) | Click & collect until Christmas Eve on in-stock toys | Home delivery from £4.99; click & collect free, often within 1 hour. |
| Waterstones | 18 December (Standard) 19 December (Express) |
Order by end of day | Standard £3.99 free over £25; express ~£6.99. |
| IWOOT | 20 December (Standard) 22–23 December (Next-Day) |
Varies | Standard from £2.99; express £4.99–£6.99. |
| Prezzybox | 20 December (Standard) 22–23 December (Next-Day) |
Order next-day by afternoon | Standard £3.99; next-day £5.99. |
| Zavvi | 19 December (Standard) Up to 24 December (Express) |
Varies | Standard from £2.99; express £4.99–£6.99. |
Food, drink & home gifts
Nice for hampers, chocolate, homeware or anything that makes the house look a bit more put-together than you feel.
|
Brand |
Last Delivery Date | Order Deadline | Delivery Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AGA Cookshop | 17 December | Standard cut-off | £4.95 or free over £50. |
| B&Q | 19–21 December | Depends on item/size | Delivery fees vary by product size and courier. |
| Chocolate Trading Company | Mid–late December | Varies by courier | Standard £3.95; next-day available on many items. |
| Funky Hampers | 16–18 December | Earlier dispatch for food items | Standard £3.95–£4.95; express available. |
| Graham & Green | 16–18 December | Earlier for large items | Standard from £4.95. Large-item surcharges may apply. |
| Majestic Wine | 20–21 December | Depends on region | Delivery from £4.95; free click & collect. |
| Thorntons | 18 December (Standard) 23 December (Express) |
Order express by 23 Dec | Standard £3.95 free over £40; express £5.95. |
Quick tip:
if you’re cutting it fine, favour next-day or click & collect over standard delivery. And before you check out, always see if there’s a vouchercloud code to shave a few quid off – future you and your bank account will thank you.
Last Christmas Posting Dates for 2025
With Christmas Day falling on a Thursday in 2025, the posting window is a little tighter than it looks at first glance. The last 2nd Class post for Christmas 2025 is as early as Wednesday 17 December, so if you’re a “cards and parcels” person, it pays to plan ahead.
Below you’ll find the key Royal Mail and Evri deadlines for getting cards and gifts delivered in time for Christmas Day.
Royal Mail Christmas Posting Dates 2025
Royal Mail’s last posting dates for Christmas 2025 run from 17–23 December, depending on how speedy (and spendy) you want your service to be. The earlier you send, the cheaper it usually is – so if you can avoid the last-minute rush, your wallet will feel the benefit.
Here are the key UK inland deadlines for Christmas delivery:
|
Royal Mail Postage Type |
Last Postage Date (2025) |
|---|---|
|
Wednesday 17 December 2025 |
|
Friday 19 December 2025 |
|
Saturday 20 December 2025 |
|
Sunday 21 December 2025 |
|
Tuesday 23 December 2025 |
You technically have until 23 December with Special Delivery Guaranteed, but that’s also the priciest route. If you’d rather not pay rush-post prices, aim for 2nd Class or Tracked 48 and post earlier in the month instead.
Evri Christmas Delivery Dates 2025
Evri’s Christmas 2025 deadlines are similar to Royal Mail’s tracked options, especially if you’re using ParcelShops or lockers. The later you leave it, the more likely you are to be paying for faster services – and setting a reminder for that 11am cut-off isn’t a bad shout.
|
Evri Service |
Last Postage Date (2025) |
|---|---|
| Courier collection | Friday 19 December 2025 |
| Standard delivery from a ParcelShop or Evri locker | Friday 19 December 2025 (drop off before 11am) |
| Next-day delivery from a ParcelShop or Evri locker | Saturday 20 December 2025 (drop off before 11am) |
Your parcels should still arrive in time if you send them on 20 December via next-day, as long as you hit that 11am cut-off. But as ever at Christmas, earlier is cheaper, calmer and much less “living dangerously”.
Follow Our Christmas Discount Codes
From festive feasts to last-minute stocking fillers, our Christmas discount codes are here to help you save while you spoil everyone (including yourself). Check out deals at top brands like Fragrance Shop, Currys and Debenhams and make Christmas 2025 feel a bit more magical – without the scary January bank balance.
