Quick answer: To be safe, order by Wednesday 9 December 2026. That date is our suggestion, not a promise: it allows the full 1–3 working days for preparing your order and the full 3–7 working days for delivery, which together come to 10 working days and end on Wednesday 23 December 2026.
Last updated: 12 November 2026
We would sooner give you a cautious date and the sums behind it than a hopeful one. This page explains how the suggested date is worked out, shows the working days for December 2026, and gives the rule to use in any other year.
Christmas 2026: our suggested order-by date
Our suggestion for Christmas 2026
Order by Wednesday 9 December 2026
A suggestion based on our usual delivery times, not a promise. Earlier is always safer.
We take 1–3 working days to prepare an order, and delivery to most UK addresses then takes 3–7 working days. A working day is Monday to Friday, not counting bank holidays. Added together, the longest usual journey is 10 working days. Ten working days after Wednesday 9 December 2026 is Wednesday 23 December 2026, which leaves Christmas Eve as a one-day cushion.
The longest case is the one worth planning for. Carriers are at their busiest in December and winter weather can slow them down, so we don't promise delivery by a particular day.
Working-day calendar, December 2026
| Date | Counts as | What happens in the longest case |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 9 December | Order day | Our suggested order-by date |
| Thursday 10 December | Working day 1 | Preparation begins (1–3 working days) |
| Friday 11 December | Working day 2 | Preparation |
| Saturday 12 December | Not a working day | Weekend |
| Sunday 13 December | Not a working day | Weekend |
| Monday 14 December | Working day 3 | Latest usual dispatch |
| Tuesday 15 December | Working day 4 | Delivery window begins (3–7 working days) |
| Wednesday 16 December | Working day 5 | Delivery |
| Thursday 17 December | Working day 6 | Delivery |
| Friday 18 December | Working day 7 | Delivery |
| Saturday 19 December | Not a working day | Weekend |
| Sunday 20 December | Not a working day | Weekend |
| Monday 21 December | Working day 8 | Delivery |
| Tuesday 22 December | Working day 9 | Delivery |
| Wednesday 23 December | Working day 10 | End of the longest usual delivery window |
| Thursday 24 December | Working day | Christmas Eve: a working day, kept as a one-day cushion |
| Friday 25 December | Not a working day | Christmas Day (bank holiday) |
| Saturday 26 December | Not a working day | Boxing Day (weekend) |
| Sunday 27 December | Not a working day | Weekend |
| Monday 28 December | Not a working day | Bank holiday (substitute day for Boxing Day) |
Bank holidays are those published on GOV.UK. Boxing Day 2026 falls on a Saturday, so its bank holiday is observed on Monday 28 December. New Year's Day, Friday 1 January 2027, is also a bank holiday.
Highlands, Islands and Northern Ireland
Parcels for the Scottish Highlands and Islands and for Northern Ireland can take a little longer. If you live in one of these areas, we suggest ordering by Wednesday 2 December 2026, a week ahead of the general date. Delivery is still free. Our delivery area is England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are outside it for now.
Ordering after the suggested date
You can order at any time; the shop is open all year. An order placed after 9 December may well arrive before Christmas, but the chance of it arriving afterwards grows with every day that passes. If the parcel is a present, have something in reserve. Anything that arrives too late can come back to us at no cost under the 30-day returns promise explained on our Returns & refunds page.
Ordering for the start of Advent
Advent calendars have an earlier deadline of their own, because they are wanted for 1 December. Count back 10 working days from the last working day of November: for a calendar from Christmas Stockings & Advent Calendars to be in place for Tuesday 1 December 2026, order by Monday 16 November 2026 to be safe.
Presents and the 30-day returns period
Ordering early has one catch. Our free returns run for 30 days from delivery, not from Christmas Day. A present delivered in the middle of November will be past its returns date before it is opened. If you think something from Christmas Gifts or Christmas Jumpers & Nightwear might need to go back, order from late November onwards, or check it when it arrives. Faulty or damaged items are put right whenever the problem comes to light.
The rule for any year
- Find your target day. For Christmas, use the last working day before Christmas Eve.
- Count back 10 working days. Skip Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays.
- Order on or before that day. Add a week if you live in the Highlands, the Islands or Northern Ireland.
We update this page each autumn with the date for the coming Christmas. The live Christmas countdown shows how many sleeps are left, and general delivery information is on our Delivery page. If you have a question about an order that is already on its way, see Track your order or the FAQ.