Canada Post's Suggested Mailing Dates for 2009
When To Mail Cards And Parcels To Arrive On Time For Holiday Season
Oct 18, 2009
The winter holiday season typically sees a rush of activity at Canada Post outlets. It’s a busy time of year but don’t make the mistake of waiting too late to send holiday blessings and New Year wishes. Avoid the disappointment of cards and parcels arriving late at their destination by following some guidelines posted by Canada Post. Read on to find Canada Post’s suggested mailing dates to destinations within Canada and outside the country, too.
Suggested Mailing Dates for Parcels Bound for Destinations Outside of Canada
For regular surface parcels, refer to the list below.
Parcels going to the following places should be posted before the date listed to the right.
- Africa: October 9
- Asia: October 19
- Australia: October 19
- Caribbean: October 26
- Central/South America: October 19
- Europe: October 27
- Middle East: October 9
- New Zealand: October 9
- USA: December 1
These suggested dates are for regular parcel post. Canada Post offers quicker service through its Air Parcel, Xpresspost ™, and Priority ™ Worldwide products. See Canada Post’s website for suggested drop-off dates for these expedited services.
When to Mail Holiday Cards and Letters Going Outside of Canada
For holiday cards and letters going outside the country, the following list gives suggested mailing dates for certain places.
- Africa: November 23
- Asia: December 1
- Australia: December 1
- Caribbean: December 1
- Central/South America: November 23
- Europe: December 1
- Middle East: December 1
- New Zealand: December 1
- USA: December 14
When to Mail Parcels to Destinations in Canada
For service within Canada, parcels mailed regular parcel post should be dropped off by December 11. Faster services within Canada are available at an added cost. See Canada Post’s website for more details.
When to Mail Holiday Letters and Cards to Destinations in Canada
For letters and cards traveling within Canada, consider the following suggested mailing dates.
- Local destinations: Post by December 18.
- Within province: Post by December 17
- Outside province: Post by December 16
Restrictions may apply to certain items being shipped by Canada Post. Here is a list of prohibited and controlled items. If in doubt about the contents of a parcel, contact Canada Post to find out what is permissable.
- Replica or inert munitions (toy hand grenades, for example)
- Tobacco
- Firearms (including toys and replicas)
- Intoxicating beverages
- Drugs and controlled substances
- Medical and biological materials
- Perishable items
- Liquids, liquifiable substances and powders
- Animals
- Plants
Also, be aware that parcels and packages going outside of Canada may be restricted or may have to meet certain Canadian requirements before shipping. There are also foreign customs rules and requirements for items being shipped to other countries from Canada. See Canada Post’s chapter on Customs for more information. For information about Canada Post’s holiday closure schedule see Canada Post's Holiday Closure Schedule for 2009 or Canada Post's Holiday Closure Schedule for 2010.
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