(Rick Bowmer/Associated Press)

Interactive map

Holiday shipping rates at a glance

• Canada

Santa Claus may have the option of delivering all his gifts on Christmas Eve, but those of us without reindeer and a sleigh need to get those packages out a little earlier. Here are key shipping dates and tips to ensure all the good boys and girls on your list get their presents in time this holiday season.

General tips

If you're mailing to a remote area, check with your shipper to ensure the same cut-off dates apply.

If your package gets lost or damaged, you can usually submit a claim in writing for reimbursement within 90 days of shipping for parcels within Canada or six months for international shipments.

Look into insurance for expensive gifts.

Consolidate packages, as shipping one heavier box is cheaper than sending two – and is easier to track.

Unclaimed packages, or parcels with outstanding fees, are returned to sender after 30 days and may carry a return charge.

Pack it properly

Boxes provide more protection than envelopes. Don't reuse old boxes, as they weaken upon use and can collapse in shipping.

Cushion your gifts with bubble wrap or packing peanuts and place each item at least five centimetres from the box's walls.

Don't wrap your shipping boxes in holiday paper or tie your package together with string, rope or elastic bands, as these things can get caught in automated sorters.

Wrap gifts in plastic bags within the box to protect in case snow or rain leaks into your parcel.

Use packing tape to seal your parcels. Other tapes, such as masking or scotch, can come loose during shipping and can obscure the address.

Use the right packing materials

Bubble wrap offers protection and soft padding for fragile gifts. It's fast, easy, clean and cheap – at about $2 for almost two metres. A whole roll, which should last a few holidays, costs about $43.

Shredded construction paper cushions objects so they don't move around. You can make it yourself, but it can be messy for both you and the recipient.

Packing chips, or peanuts, fill in spaces to keep items from moving around. At approximately $4 a bag, they're suitable for lightweight gifts but can be messy.

Corrugated boxes and inserts provide an extra layer of protection. They are very durable and good for delicate gifts.

Foam in place (available at Pak Mail) is packing foam moulded to cushion your item. One sheet, which covers something small, costs about $6. The sheets are also prone to cracking.

Address the package correctly

Addresses should be all upper case and punctuation should not be used, unless it is part of a proper name, for example St. John's.

When shipping within Canada, the municipality, province and postal code should appear on the same line.

To ship internationally, the country must be spelled out in full after the postal code.

Postal codes must be upper case and the break in digits separated by a space, not a hyphen, for example A1A 1B1 not A1A-1B1.

Do not use the number sign (#).

Include an extra address label inside the box, in case the outside one comes off or the box gets damaged.

(Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press)

Know the restrictions

Check restrictions, such as weight and customs requirements, for the destination country to avoid delays or fees for the recipients.

Restricted goods include some food, nutritional supplements, technologies (including simple things such as batteries), replica and inert munitions, tobacco, medical materials, alcohol, perishable items, liquids, powders, plants, bottle caps, coins, glass jewelry, keys, seeds or anything illegal or dangerous.

Not all countries have full postal services available. For example, only documents can be shipped to Iran.

Shipping prices

Packages are priced according to the heavier of volumetric or actual weight. If a package weighs more than 30 kg, overweight charges apply.

Most courier companies charge a fuel surcharge. Canada Post charges 7.25 per cent, which is included in the price of prepaid products.

Counter prices are charged when post office staff weigh, price and post the items.

The FedEx money-back guarantee is suspended from Dec. 18-24 on shipments that reach their destinations within 90 minutes of the scheduled time, and from Dec. 11-24 on home delivery.

Goods imported into Canada valued at $20 or more are subject to all duties and taxes.

Canada Post charges a $5 handling fee on duty-required or taxable items.

Shipping by region

• Canada and the United States
• South America
• Europe
• Africa
• Asia
• Australia
• Middle East

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Canada and the United States

Deadlines within Canada

Canada Post:

• Letter mail: Dec. 18
• Regular parcel: Dec. 11
• Xpresspost: Dec. 20

Purolator:

• Dec. 21

FedEx:

• Priority/same day: Dec. 21
• Regular: Dec. 17-19

UPS:

• Dec. 21

If you're shipping within Canada, you have until Dec. 11 to get your parcels in the mail — Dec. 18 for cards — and up to the 21st to courier your gift to most areas.

Sending to our neighbours to the south? Cards should be mailed by Dec. 10, while the cut-off for regular parcels was Nov. 23. Don't worry if you missed it, you can courier packages by ground up to Dec. 19, depending on the state, and express courier until Dec. 21.

Deadlines for the U.S.

Canada Post:

• Letter mail: Dec. 10
• Regular parcel: Nov. 23
• Xpresspost: Dec. 10
• U.S.A. Light Packet: Dec. 10
• U.S.A. Air Small Packet: Dec. 8

Purolator:

• One-day delivery: Dec. 21
• Ground delivery: Dec. 13-19 depending on zone

FedEx:

• Priority/same day: Dec. 21
• Regular: Dec. 14

UPS:

• Dec. 21

Tips

Parcels designated as gifts are duty free. Gift shipments are limited to a maximum retail value of $100 US per person, with the exception of the Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa, where the limit is $200 US.

Holiday parcels should be packaged with a customs invoice listing the value of the items, a description of the gift and the country where manufactured: for example, "Doll, made in China, $15." The word "gift" should be marked on the outside of the package.

To send gifts in one package for more than one person, write the recipient's name next to the items and write "gift" and "consolidated gift" on the package.

Holiday food must be designated for personal consumption, gift or not for resale.

Gifts of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and perfumes containing alcohol do not qualify for the duty free exemption.

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South America

Deadlines for South America

Canada Post:

• Letter mail: Nov. 26
• Air mail: Nov. 26
• Xpresspost: Dec. 3

Purolator:

• Caribbean and Mexico: Dec. 19
• South and Central America: Dec. 18

FedEx:

• Dec. 21

UPS:

• Dec. 21

Cards to South America should be sent by regular post a month before Christmas, while couriered presents can be shipped as late as Dec. 19.

Tips

Check restrictions, such as weight and customs requirements, to avoid delays or fees for the recipients.

Brazil does not make any tax or customs allowances for parcels marked as gifts. Mexico does not either.

Restricted goods include some food, nutritional supplements, technologies (including simple things such as batteries), replica and inert munitions, tobacco, medical materials, alcohols, perishable items, liquids, powders, plants, bottle caps, coins, glass jewelry, keys, seeds or anything illegal or dangerous.

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Europe

Deadlines for Europe

Canada Post:

• Letter mail: Nov. 26
• Air mail: Nov. 26
• Xpresspost: Dec. 3

Purolator:

• Western Europe & United Kingdom: Dec. 19
• Eastern Europe: Dec. 17

FedEx:

• Dec. 21

UPS:

• Dec. 21

Cards and presents going across the pond should be sent by regular mail by Nov. 26. Missed it? Get your goodies to a courier by Dec. 17-19 and your gifts should still make it in time for the holidays.

Tips

Many European countries have duty exemptions for gifts valued under a certain amount, with that figure varying by country. In the United Kingdom, gifts valued at less than $68 are duty free. Throughout the European Union, the norm is 45 euros, or approximately $66 CDN.

Additionally, there are restrictions on the size of packages that can be accepted, with the general cut-off being about 30 kg.

Restricted goods include some food, nutritional supplements, technologies (including simple things such as batteries), replica and inert munitions, tobacco, medical materials, alcohol, perishable items, liquids, powders, plants, bottle caps, coins, glass jewelry, keys, seeds or anything illegal or dangerous.

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Africa

Deadlines for Africa

Canada Post:

• Letter mail: Nov. 26
• Air mail: Nov. 26
• Xpresspost: Dec. 3

Purolator:

• Dec. 17

FedEx:

• Dec. 21

UPS:

• Dec. 21

Regular mail and parcels to Africa should be sent by Nov. 26, but a courier can deliver your gifts in time for Christmas if you ship before Dec. 17.

Tips

Check restrictions, such as weight and customs requirements, for the destination country to avoid delays or fees for the recipients.

For example, the United Arab Emirates will allow gifts valued up to $270 US to enter the country duty-free. The gift exemption in South Africa is about $60 Cdn.

Restricted goods include some food, nutritional supplements, technologies (including simple things such as batteries), replica and inert munitions, tobacco, medical materials, alcohols, perishable items, liquids, powders, plants, bottle caps, coins, glass jewelry, keys, seeds or anything illegal or dangerous.

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Asia

Deadlines for Asia

Canada Post:

• Letter mail: Nov. 26
• Air mail: Nov. 26
• Xpresspost: Dec. 3

Purolator:

• Dec. 17

FedEx:

• Dec. 21

UPS:

• Dec. 21

Shipments to the Far East should hit Canada Post by Nov. 26 or a courier by Dec. 17-21 to ensure delivery before Christmas Day.

Tips

Check restrictions, such as weight and customs requirements, for the destination country to avoid delays or fees for the recipients.

Some countries will allow gifts to enter the country duty-free up to a certain limit. In India, the gifts valued at up to approximately $250 are exempt. The limit for Japan is $45.

Restricted goods include some food, nutritional supplements, technologies (including simple things such as batteries), replica and inert munitions, tobacco, medical materials, alcohols, perishable items, liquids, powders, plants, bottle caps, coins, glass jewelry, keys, seeds or anything illegal or dangerous.

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Australia

Deadline to Australia

Canada Post:

• Letter mail: Nov. 26
• Air mail: Nov. 26
• Xpresspost: Dec. 3

Purolator:

• Dec. 18

FedEx:

• Dec. 21

UPS:

• Dec. 21

Shipments to the land down under should be sent via regular mail by Nov. 26 or by courier by Dec. 18.

Tips

Packages over 30 kg cannot be shipped to Australia. Gifts valued less than $1,000 Australian, approximately $867 Cdn, are duty-free, with the exception of alcohol and tobacco.

Restricted goods include some food, nutritional supplements, technologies (including simple things such as batteries), replica and inert munitions, tobacco, medical materials, alcohol, perishable items, liquids, powders, plants, bottle caps, coins, glass jewelry, keys, seeds or anything illegal or dangerous.

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Middle East

Deadlines for Middle East

Canada Post:

• Letter mail: Nov. 26
• Air mail: Nov. 26
• Xpresspost: Dec. 3

Purolator:

• Dec. 18

FedEx:

• Dec. 21

UPS:

• Dec. 21

Cards and gifts to the Middle East should be mailed by Nov. 26 or couriered by Dec. 1-21.

Tips

Regular couriers cannot deliver parcels or mail to soldiers stationed in combat areas. Canada Post and the Canadian Forces Postal Service handle this mail. Parcels cannot weigh more than 20 kg. More information on mailing to members of the Canadian Forces can be found on the Canada Post website .

Not all countries have full postal service. For example, Iran only accepts document mail.

Check restrictions, such as weight and customs requirements, for the destination country to avoid delays or fees for the recipients.

Restricted goods include some food, nutritional supplements, technologies (including simple things such as batteries), replica and inert munitions, tobacco, medical materials, alcohol, perishable items, liquids, powders, plants, bottle caps, coins, glass jewelry, keys, seeds or anything illegal or dangerous.