When to post your Vinted, eBay and Depop sales so they arrive before Christmas, and how to handle the busiest weeks of the year.
Updated 5 Oct 2026
2026 dates aren't announced yet. Royal Mail, Evri and InPost usually confirm their Christmas dates in October and November, and we'll add each one here as soon as it's confirmed. Until then, last year's dates below are a good guide: the cheapest services needed posting about a week before Christmas, and the latest guaranteed option was 23 December.
These were the 2025 dates for delivery to UK addresses before Christmas, as reported at the time. They are not the 2026 dates. Always check the carrier's own website before you post.
Who picks the carrier
Vinted: the buyer chooses the carrier at checkout. Post as soon as you can after a sale, because buyers will be counting the days.
eBay, Depop and Etsy: you choose the service and set the postage. In December it's worth offering a tracked or faster option. See the UK postage guide for prices.
Selling in December: tips
Post early in the day. Drop-off cut-off times matter in the last week, and some are as early as 11am.
Use tracking. Parcels are more likely to be delayed in December, and tracking is your proof if a buyer says a gift never arrived.
Be honest about timing. If a sale comes in too late for Christmas delivery, tell the buyer before you post rather than after.
Going away? Use your platform's away setting so you don't get orders you can't send. Vinted calls it Holiday mode, and eBay calls it Time away.
Keep proof of postage until the buyer confirms everything has arrived safely.
Questions people ask
When is the last posting date for Christmas 2026?
The carriers haven't announced their 2026 dates yet. They usually confirm them in October and November, and this page will be updated as each one does. In 2025, Royal Mail 2nd Class had to be posted by Wednesday 17 December and Special Delivery Guaranteed by Tuesday 23 December.
What was the last day for Royal Mail 1st Class in 2025?
Saturday 20 December 2025 for 1st Class and 1st Class Signed For, with Tracked 24 a day later on Sunday 21 December.
Who chooses the delivery service on Vinted?
The buyer chooses the carrier and pays for postage at checkout. On eBay, Depop and Etsy the seller chooses the service and sets the postage price.
Should I use tracked postage at Christmas?
Yes, for anything you'd be upset to lose. Tracking shows where a parcel is during the busiest weeks and is your proof of delivery if a buyer says it didn't arrive.