Christmas 2026 mailing deadlines
Send-by dates for a package to arrive by December 25, by the country you’re mailing from. Each date was checked on that postal service’s own page.
Quick answer
- From the U.S. to a mission abroad: mail by Wed, Dec 9 (Priority Mail International), or Wed, Dec 16 with Priority Mail Express International.
- Within the U.S.: Thu, Dec 17 for Ground Advantage and First-Class; Fri, Dec 18 for Priority Mail.
- From Canada: as early as Thu, Dec 3 (Africa and Latin America). From Australia or New Zealand: economy to the rest of the world closes Tue, Nov 24. See the tables below.
- Anywhere else: check with your postal service. For far-away missions, mailing in early to mid-November is safer.
Dates checked on each postal service’s own page on Oct 29, 2026. They can change; recheck before you mail. GotMyCall is unofficial.
Mailing from the United States
| Sending to | First-Class Package Intl | Priority Mail Intl | Priority Mail Express Intl |
|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 16 |
| Asia/Pacific Rim | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 16 |
| Australia/New Zealand | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 16 |
| Canada | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 16 |
| Caribbean | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 16 |
| Central & South America | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 16 |
| Europe | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 16 |
| Mexico | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 16 |
| Middle East | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 16 |
Inside the U.S. (lower 48): Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail Thu, Dec 17; Priority Mail Fri, Dec 18; Priority Mail Express Sat, Dec 19. To Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. territories: First-Class Thu, Dec 17; Priority Fri, Dec 18; Priority Mail Express Sat, Dec 19 (Ground Advantage there takes 10 days or more, so send it much earlier).
Sources: USPS 2026 Holiday Shipping Deadlines · USPS Newsroom, Sept 22, 2026
Mailing from Canada
| Sending to | Xpresspost International | Tracked Packet / Small Packet | Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | Dec 17 (Xpresspost USA) | Dec 11 | Dec 11 |
| Africa | Dec 10 | Dec 3 | Dec 3 |
| Asia | Dec 11 | Dec 9 | Dec 9 |
| Australia | Dec 14 | Dec 9 | Dec 9 |
| Central/South America & Caribbean | Dec 10 | Dec 3 | Dec 3 |
| China | Dec 14 | Dec 9 | Dec 9 |
| Europe | Dec 15 | Dec 9 | Dec 9 |
| France | Dec 15 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 |
| Germany | Dec 15 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 |
| India | Dec 11 | Dec 9 | Dec 9 |
| Japan | Dec 14 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 |
| Middle East | Dec 11 | Dec 9 | Dec 9 |
| Netherlands | Dec 15 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 |
| New Zealand | Dec 11 | Dec 9 | Dec 9 |
| Switzerland | Dec 15 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 |
| United Kingdom | Dec 15 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 |
Expedited Parcel USA: Dec 14. Mailing to a missionary inside Canada? Canada Post doesn’t publish one date; use its delivery standard tool from the same page.
Mailing from Australia
| Sending to | Courier | Express | Standard | Economy Air |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | Dec 17 | Dec 15 | Dec 9 | Dec 2 |
| USA | Dec 17 | Dec 11 | Dec 7 | Nov 30 |
| Canada | Dec 17 | Dec 14 | Dec 8 | Dec 1 |
| UK | Dec 17 | Dec 15 | Dec 11 | Dec 4 |
| Major European destinations | Dec 15 | Dec 14 | Dec 11 | Dec 4 |
| China | Dec 15 | Dec 8 | Dec 4 | Nov 27 |
| East/Southeast Asia | Dec 15 | Dec 11 | Dec 7 | Nov 30 |
| Rest of world | Not offered | Dec 4 | Dec 1 | Nov 24 |
Australia Post has a country search with more destinations. Sending from South Australia, Tasmania or the Northern Territory? Add 2 business days for Express and 5 for Standard and Economy.
Mailing from New Zealand
| Sending to | Express | Courier | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Thu, Dec 17 | Mon, Dec 14 | Wed, Dec 9 |
| United States | Wed, Dec 16 | Mon, Dec 14 | Mon, Dec 7 |
| South Pacific | Tue, Dec 15 | Fri, Dec 11 | Fri, Dec 4 |
| Asia, Canada, Europe, UK | Fri, Dec 11 | Tue, Dec 8 | Tue, Dec 1 |
| Rest of the world | Wed, Dec 9 | Fri, Dec 4 | Tue, Nov 24 |
Mailing from the UK or anywhere else
United Kingdom, to a missionary in the UK: 2nd Class Fri, Dec 18; Tracked 48 Sat, Dec 19; 1st Class and Tracked 24 Mon, Dec 21; Special Delivery Guaranteed Wed, Dec 23.
United Kingdom, to a missionary abroad: Royal Mail doesn’t publish international Christmas dates; for international items it says to post as early as possible and points to its country guides. Check with your postal service.
Other countries (Mexico, Brazil, the Philippines and more): we couldn’t confirm 2026 dates on the national postal service’s own site, so we’ve left them out. Check with your postal service.
Sources: Royal Mail: last posting dates · Royal Mail country guides
Before you mail
- These are the postal services’ recommendations, not guarantees, and they don’t include time in the destination country’s customs.
- Many missions ask families to mail to the mission office. Confirm the address with your missionary or the mission. To find the mission’s page, browse missions by country.
- Check what can’t be sent and the customs form on our Christmas package guide and packages by country.
- Sending to the MTC? Check its mail rules in your call packet first.
- Too late to mail? Email and a holiday call still count. See holiday calls and Light the World ideas to share with your missionary.
- Want to give closer to home? Find a Giving Machine near you (2026 cities and dates).
Next steps
Questions
When should I mail a Christmas package from the U.S. to a missionary abroad?
USPS recommends Wed, Dec 9, 2026 for Priority Mail International and First-Class Package International, and Wed, Dec 16 for Priority Mail Express International.
Are these dates guaranteed?
No. They’re the postal services’ recommendations and don’t include customs time in the destination country. Mail earlier if you can.
What if my country isn’t listed?
We only list dates confirmed on the postal service’s own page. Check with your postal service.
Sources
. Unofficial: check your call packet and the Missionary Portal for your own details. Official pages and your leaders are always the final word. GotMyCall is unofficial and not affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.