Helping islanders prepare for Christmas

Festive stamps illustrated by Kate Birch.

Christmas is all about staying connected. Whether it’s sending a card to a loved one, posting a gift to family overseas, or ordering essentials online, Jersey Post is helping islanders prepare for the festive season. Last posting dates, opening hours, seasonal sending advice and more are now available at www.jerseypost.com/christmas.   

It’s one of the busiest times of the year for Posties, with over 30% more mail passing through the Sorting Office in the weeks leading up to Christmas. On the busiest days, Posties deliver up to 65,000 items across the island.  

To help ensure gifts, cards and parcels arrive in time for Christmas, customers are encouraged to plan ahead, order online early, and check the recommended last posting dates before sending cards and parcels.  

Julie Thomas, Chief Operating Officer at Jersey Post, says: “Christmas is a very busy time for our teams, and we know how important these deliveries are for our customers. By planning ahead, ordering online early and checking the recommended posting dates, customers can enjoy greater peace of mind, more choice and can make the most of the festive season.” 

Top tips for a smoother Christmas 

Ordering 

• Order early: planning ahead pays off. Ordering gifts and essentials early gives you more choice, more flexibility and more time to ensure everything arrives before the big day.  
• Shop the UK high street with ship2me: access thousands of UK retailers (including Primark with a new Click & Collect service) that don’t ship to Jersey, giving you more choice when shopping for gifts, essentials and partywear. Sign up for a free account at www.ship2me.co.uk.  
• Sign up to SecureDrop: this free service lets you select a safe and weatherproof location on your property (such as a porch, shed or garage), so you can receive larger items and those requiring a signature when you’re not home – meaning one less trip to collect your parcel from Rue des Pres Post Office! 

Sending 

• Pack parcels properly: use sturdy packaging, secure fragile items and clearly display the recipient’s address. Remove any old labels or barcodes if reusing boxes. Check maximum sizes on our website to avoid over-paying or surcharges. 
• Sending overseas? Complete your customs form carefully: provide clear descriptions of the items you’re sending and an accurate value to help avoid customs delays (for example, write “red cotton t-shirt”, rather than “clothes”.) Customs duties have changed for most European countries. Counter colleagues will advise you of what you need to do, however gifts under 45 euros do not attract additional charges. 
• Prepay VAT when sending to the UK: prepaying VAT can help your parcel move more smoothly through the delivery process and avoid unexpected charges for the recipient.  
• Buy Christmas stamps: beautifully illustrated by Kate Birch, and available from Post Offices from 9th November these stamps are the perfect finishing touch for festive cards and letters.  
• Addresses: write addresses clearly on envelopes to avoid delays. 
• Letters to Santa: post your letter to the North Pole by 18th December. Include your name and address (including postcode) so Santa can reply! 

www.jerseypost.com/christmas