Shipping Holiday Gift Packages to Family Far Away

Work backward from the cutoff

Look up your carrier's holiday shipping deadline for the exact destination before you buy anything else. Then plan to ship at least one week earlier than that date. International cutoffs (USPS, Royal Mail, Canada Post, Australia Post) often fall in late November or the first days of December. Remote or rural addresses take longer, and customs holds can add several days.

• Lots of time (3+ weeks before the cutoff): the cheapest ground or economy service is fine, for example USPS Ground Advantage within the US.
• Close to the cutoff (under 10 days): pay for priority or express. Or skip shipping entirely and order from a retailer that ships within the recipient's country, with its gift-wrap and gift-message option.

Pick the box and service that fit the gifts

Weigh and measure before you choose a service, because size often costs more than weight. UPS and FedEx bill by dimensional weight: length × width × height in inches ÷ 139, rounded up. USPS uses ÷ 166 for boxes over 1 cubic foot (28 L). That makes a big, light box expensive, so use the smallest box that still leaves room for cushioning.

• Small, heavy gifts like books, jars or tools: within the US, a USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate box usually wins, because any weight up to 70 lb (31.7 kg) costs the same.
  • International Flat Rate boxes cap at 4 lb (1.8 kg) for the small box and 20 lb (9 kg) for the larger ones.
  • Royal Mail and Canada Post have no true equivalent. Australia Post's prepaid satchels work the same way for soft items.
• Light, bulky gifts like a sweater or a plush toy: use a padded mailer or a small box with ground service.
• Several recipients in one household: one combined box is almost always cheaper than separate ones.

Buying the label online (on the carrier's site or a discounted label service) usually costs less than paying at the counter, and you get tracking automatically. With a prepaid USPS label you can also book a free package pickup from your door and skip December post office lines.

Pack for the sorting machine, not the doorstep

Parcels get dropped, stacked and tumbled on conveyors. Use a sturdy corrugated box and leave about 2 in (5 cm) of cushioning on every side of every item. Wrap fragile pieces on their own first. Put heavy items at the bottom and fill all gaps. Do the shake test when you're done: close the flaps and shake the box. You should hear and feel nothing move.

A common first-timer mistake is reusing a box covered in old labels or barcodes. Scanners read the wrong one and the parcel goes astray. Cover or remove every old marking. Also tuck a slip inside with both addresses, in case the outer label gets torn off.

Customs without surprises

International gifts need a customs declaration. Most carriers now have you fill it in online when you buy the label. List each item with a specific description ("wool scarf", not "gift"), its quantity and its honest value, and tick "Gift".

• Duty thresholds: recipients can owe duty or tax on gifts above a threshold, roughly:
  • £39 in the UK
  • CAD $60 in Canada
  • US $100 in the US
  • AUD 1,000 in Australia
• Combined UK box: each gift gets its own £39 allowance if it is individually wrapped and labelled with the person's name, so list them separately. Otherwise, tell the recipient to expect a fee.
• Sending to the US from abroad: postal rules for US-bound parcels changed in 2025. Check your post's current service status and fees before you pack.
• Banned or restricted items: leave out perfume and nail polish (flammable), aerosols, alcohol, loose lithium batteries, and homemade or meat-based food. Australia and New Zealand are especially strict about food, seeds and wood.
• Wrapping: customs may open the box. Gift bags or tissue paper are easier to reseal than fully taped wrapping paper.

How you know it went right: the tracking shows "accepted", and for international parcels it later shows "cleared customs". The box should arrive at least a few days before the holiday.