Christmas mail to distant locations to be sent by next week
05.12.2011
The Christmas mail season is in full speed. The first deadline for Christmas parcels is on Wednesday 7 December. All parcels to be sent outside Europe must be posted by that date at the latest. Parcels to European countries must be posted in the following week. Parcels to the Nordic countries will reach their destination in time if posted by 20 December, except for Norway, for which the deadline is 19 December.
A postal parcel is an economic and reliable way to send gifts to friends and family. Last year, the logistics centre of Itella Posti processed up to 160,000 parcels per day during the busiest season before Christmas, while the average number of parcels per day was 100,000 at other times. This year, a similar number of parcels is expected. Finns send the most parcels to Sweden, but many are sent to other Nordic countries, Germany, Great Britain, the United States and Estonia as well.
The deadlines for Christmas cards to be sent to distant destinations depend on whether Priority or Economy class is used. If the inexpensive but slower Economy class is to be used, the cards must be posted no later than on Friday 2 December. For the United States, Canada and non-EU countries, the last possible date is 7 December, to EU countries 12 December and to the Nordic countries 13 December. If Priority class is used, cards can be posted one week later for all categories.
Remember that for all Christmas mail, cards as well as parcels, early posting and correct address ensure arrival by Christmas. Precise address information includes the recipient's name, the street, the number of the building, stairway and apartment indication, postal code and the post office name. When sending a parcel, the parcel must be packed so that it can endure mechanical processing.
All important dates, country-specific delivery times and packaging instructions concerning Christmas can be found on Itella's Christmas website at www.posti.fi/joulu.
