The short answer: the last order date for Christmas 2026 delivery from Flo's Candle House is Thursday 10 December with free delivery, or Monday 14 December with Express (£6.99). Royal Mail's last recommended posting dates for Christmas 2026 are Friday 18 December for 2nd Class, Saturday 19 December for Tracked 48, Monday 21 December for 1st Class and Tracked 24, and Wednesday 23 December for Special Delivery Guaranteed. Our dates are earlier because every gift is made to order.
Updated 3 November 2026 by Flo, founder of Flo's Candle House.
This page brings every Christmas 2026 date you need into one place: when to order handmade gifts from us, Royal Mail's last posting dates, and what to do if you miss the cut-off. For gift ideas, scents and decorating, see our complete guide to Christmas candles.
Christmas 2026 order and posting dates at a glance
These are the key dates for Christmas 2026, in order. Our last order dates are the ones to plan around if you're buying from us online. The Royal Mail dates matter if you're posting cards or gifts yourself.
| Date (2026) | What happens | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 12 Nov | Four weeks before our last order date: a sensible point to have a branded candle sample approved | Businesses ordering corporate gifts |
| Sat 14 Nov to Sun 13 Dec | Our Christmas markets in Gloucestershire, Bristol and the Forest of Dean | Anyone who'd like to buy in person |
| Thu 10 Dec | Last day to order with free delivery for Christmas | Everyone ordering online |
| Mon 14 Dec | Last day to order with Express (£6.99) for Christmas | Anyone who's left it late |
| Thu 17 Dec | The latest a 10 December order (free delivery) or a 14 December order (Express) is dispatched | Everyone ordering online |
| Fri 18 Dec | Royal Mail last recommended posting date: 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For | Cards and gifts you post yourself |
| Sat 19 Dec | Royal Mail last recommended posting date: Tracked 48 | Parcels you post yourself |
| Mon 21 Dec | Royal Mail last recommended posting date: 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For and Tracked 24 | Cards and parcels you post yourself |
| Wed 23 Dec | Royal Mail last recommended posting date: Special Delivery Guaranteed | Last-minute posting |
When is the last posting date for Christmas 2026?
Royal Mail's last recommended posting dates for Christmas 2026 are Friday 18 December for 2nd Class, Saturday 19 December for Tracked 48, Monday 21 December for 1st Class and Tracked 24, and Wednesday 23 December for Special Delivery Guaranteed. They apply to UK inland post.
| Royal Mail service | Last recommended posting date |
|---|---|
| 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For | Friday 18 December 2026 |
| Tracked 48 | Saturday 19 December 2026 |
| 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For and Tracked 24 | Monday 21 December 2026 |
| Special Delivery Guaranteed | Wednesday 23 December 2026 |
| Parcelforce express48 | Monday 21 December 2026 |
| Parcelforce express24, expressAM and express10 | Tuesday 22 December 2026 |
These come from Royal Mail's Christmas last posting dates page (2026), which says the dates are "subject to change". Check it again before you post. International dates are in Royal Mail's country guides on the same page.
When should I order handmade Christmas gifts?
Order handmade Christmas gifts from Flo's Candle House by Thursday 10 December 2026 with free delivery, or by Monday 14 December with Express. Each candle and wax melt is hand-poured to order. Free-delivery orders are dispatched within 3–5 working days; Express orders within 3 working days, by Royal Mail Tracked 24.
Working days are Monday to Friday, not weekends or bank holidays. This is how an order on each last day works out:
- Thursday 10 December, free delivery: we make your gift and dispatch it by Thursday 17 December, within five working days, by free tracked Royal Mail.
- Monday 14 December, Express: we make your gift first and dispatch it by Thursday 17 December, within three working days, by Royal Mail Tracked 24.
- Before Christmas: either way it's in Royal Mail's hands, with tracking, before Royal Mail's last recommended posting dates of 18 to 21 December.
Ordering earlier simply gives you more room, for example if you'd like to check a gift before wrapping it, or send us a photo of a dog first to choose a coat colour. Our Christmas gifts collection puts everything festive on one page.
Does express delivery mean I can order later?
Yes. Express costs £6.99 at checkout. We make Express orders first and dispatch them within 3 working days, instead of the usual 3–5, then send them by Royal Mail Tracked 24. That moves the Christmas last order date to Monday 14 December. If you need something by a particular day, ask us before ordering.
Why do handmade gifts need ordering earlier than shop-bought ones?
A warehouse posts something already on a shelf; we pour, set and finish yours after you order. That making time sits before Royal Mail's own dates, so a made-to-order shop's last order date comes before the last posting date. Our 3–5 working days (or 3 with Express) is the gap between the two.
What can I do if I miss the cut-off?
If you miss 10 December, choose Express at checkout up to Monday 14 December. After that, message us before you order with the date you need it by, and we'll tell you honestly whether we can make it in time. You can also buy in person at our last two Christmas markets, on 12 and 13 December, or visit a stockist.
| Option | When | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Order with Express (£6.99) | Up to Mon 14 Dec | Dispatched within 3 working days by Royal Mail Tracked 24 |
| Ask us first | Any time before you order | Tell us your deadline; we'll give you a straight answer |
| Hatherell's Yard Market, Chipping Sodbury | Sat 12 Dec | Smell every scent and take a candle home the same day |
| Clavell and Hind Christmas Event, Elmstone Hardwicke, Cheltenham | Sun 13 Dec | Our last market of 2026 |
| Our three stockists in Gloucestershire | Shop opening hours | Each shop stocks its own selection, so call ahead |
At a stall, you can bring your dog, and we take card, contactless and cash. Check our markets and events page before you travel. The full market list and stockist addresses are in our guide to handmade candles near you, and on our stockists page.
How do I send a Christmas gift with a message?
To send a gift from Flo's Candle House straight to someone, enter their address as the delivery address at checkout and type your note in the free gift message box in your cart. Delivery is free by tracked Royal Mail to any UK address, with no minimum spend, so you don't need to post it yourself.
- Several people? Place a separate order for each address.
- Wax melts for three people? Any three packs cost £12 in one order, so order them to yourself and hand them out. Separate orders cost £4.95 a pack. Browse the wax melts collection.
- Outside the UK? We deliver to UK addresses only.
For small gifts that post well, our gifts under £10 include wax melts, the flower candle and the mini French bulldog. The gift finder in our Christmas candle guide matches a candle to each person on your list.
How early should businesses order Christmas gifts?
Businesses should get in touch as early as they can for branded Christmas candles. Our corporate candles take 3–4 weeks from sample approval, and you approve a real sample before we make the order. Counting four weeks back from 10 December gives Thursday 12 November for sample approval.
Each branded candle is white soy in a clear glass jar with a wooden finish and your logo on a custom label, with about 30 hours' burn. They cost £12 each, from a minimum of ten, with no VAT added because we're not VAT registered. We can deliver to one address or to many, which helps with remote teams. Details are on our corporate gifting page.
What should I check before ordering a Christmas gift?
Before you order, check the delivery address, the colour and the scent, and whether the recipient needs anything else to use it. Wax melts need a wax burner. Candles can be lit or kept as decorations, and Unscented suits keepsakes or anyone sensitive to fragrance.
- Colour for a pet candle: send us a photo of the dog or cat through our contact page and we'll suggest the closest coat colour. See the dog candles collection for every breed.
- Returns: you can return an item within 14 days if it's unused and unlit.
- Damage: report it within 48 hours with a photo and we'll remake or refund it.
Full delivery and returns details are on our shipping and returns page.
Do these dates change every year?
Yes. Royal Mail publishes new last posting dates each Christmas, and we set our own last order dates each year. We update this page when the new dates are known, so check the "Updated" date at the top. The dates here are for Christmas 2026.
For everything else about Christmas gifting, from Secret Santa to safe candle use around the tree, read our Christmas candle guide.
