Over the many years, Irish people have also moved to all four corners of the globe. We might love to visit all our family and friends over the Christmas period, but with the current restrictions and situation with Covid-19, unfortunately this will not be possible for a lot of people this year.
This is why so many people choose to send their friends and family those precious Christmas gifts and Irish Goodies by courier.
The run-up to Christmas is the busiest time of the year for sending parcels, so to help make sure your Christmas presents are posted and delivered on time, here’s our guide to Sending Gifts To Family & Friends This Christmas by courier.
1. Don’t Wait Until The Last Minute
This time of year is extremely busy for sending parcels, and especially this year with a lot of the travel restrictions still in place. Unfortunately this surge in deliveries can lead to delays, so your parcel may take a little longer than normal to get to it’s final destination. If you want to make sure your Christmas presents arrive in time, get them sent as early as you can. Hopefully they will not be tempted to have a sneaky look! If you’re a last-minute shopper, please be sure to check the final sending dates, and choose an express courier service.
2. Avoid The Post Office Queues
You can avoid those long queues at the Post Office in this cold and wet weather by booking a courier who will collect your parcel right from your door, while you sit back and relax with a cuppa. You can also choose a handy Local Drop-Off option, and drop your parcel off at a time and place that suits you, even at night or the weekend. A really handy option if you can’t wait in for the courier, or have some extra shopping to do. As an added bonus, you will save loads of money.
3. Pick Presents That Are Suitable For Sending
If you’re still choosing which gifts to send, try and pick gifts that will travel well and are easy to pack and are not restricted in the country you are sending them to. A number of items aren’t allowed to be sent with couriers (restricted and prohibited items) so make sure you don’t buy these items to send. If an item is restricted or prohibited, we suggest ordering it directly from the retailer and having it delivered directly to the receiver.
We do advise you check with the local customs websites to see if your items are prohibited or not. If you need any advice at all, Parcel Direct is a great resource for sending parcels all over the world.
4. Packing Your Christmas Presents
Packing is very important to ensure your Christmas gifts arrive in the same great way you sent them. Your parcel will be travelling for thousands of miles, along conveyor belts, and in and out of trucks and planes, so it is important to remember this when packing your parcel.
It can also be tempting to add some festive decorations to the outside of your parcel, but we’d advise against this. Tinsel, bows, ribbons etc, can get tangled up when the parcel is being processed by the couriers. If you want to decorate your parcel, we suggest using two boxes, and put your nicely decorated box in a larger plain box. Remember to use padding to protect your gift box.
Parcel Direct have created some great resources on their website and blog to help you with this
5. Sending Christmas Presents Abroad
If you’re sending Christmas presents abroad, there are some things you should remember. If the parcel is staying within the EU, then you won’t have to complete any extra paperwork, like commercial invoices.
If your Christmas presents are being sent outside the EU, then you will need to complete a commercial invoice and send 3 copies with your gifts. Completing this is easy with Parcel Direct, and will be completed as you make your booking online.
6. Sending Christmas Presents To The UK
This year will be so different for so many people sending gifts to the UK. Remember, the UK is no longer part of the EU, so sending your Christmas presents there make take longer than usual, as they will now have to pass through customs and require customs documentation. Completing this is easy with Parcel Direct.
7. Customs Clearance For Non EU Shipments
You’ll also need to check the different customs and import procedures and charges for each country. In most countries, there are no duties for gifts, but this is not always the case, so it’s best to find these out in advance, rather than leave the receiver of the gift with an unwanted bill.
If you still think you need some more advice on sending your Christmas presents to family and friends this year, Parcel Direct provide lots of great shipping advice on their website and blog pages and you can contact them through phone, email and messenger.