The Isle of Man Post Office has announced details of its Christmas arrangements, including last recommended posting dates, opening and closing times, and collection and delivery times across its services for the festive period.
Last recommended posting dates
The Post Office is reminding all customers of the importance of ordering and posting early to avoid disappointment this Christmas.
Last recommended posting dates to international destinations including Australia and New Zealand start from Tuesday, November 28.
For friends and family of HM Forces personnel, mail must be sent by no later than Friday, November 24 for operational British Forces Post Office (BFPO) and for static BFPOs no later than Friday, December 1.
The last recommended posting date for sending letters and parcels to the UK is Monday, December 18; the last posting date for Parcelforce48, Special Delivery (now a 2 day service) and click and dispatch Tracked48 to the UK is Wednesday December 20. The deadline for our UK Special Delivery Next Day service, which is available to click and dispatch customers as well as over the counter at Postal Headquarters in Braddan, is Thursday, December 22 at 3pm.
The deadline for local letters and local Parcelforce48 is Wednesday, December 20. The on-island special delivery deadline is Thursday, December 21.
Post office retail network
The island-wide Post Office network will be open as normal in the lead up to Christmas. On Saturday, December 23 all post offices will be open as normal except for Castletown, Foxdale and Kirk Onchan which will be closed. On Sunday, December 24 to Tuesday, December 26 as well as Sunday December 31 and Monday January 1 2024, all Post Offices will be closed, reopening for their normal hours on Tuesday, January 2 2024. A full breakdown of opening hours across the island over the festive period can be found at www.iompost.com/christmas.
Sending mail
Customers are reminded to familiarise themselves with items that are restricted in quantity for safe travel through the post, particularly when it comes to sending Christmas presents to loved ones. For example, customers can send items to the UK of up to four bottles of perfume in one package at 150ml each. Furthermore, they can send two toiletry aerosols up to 500ml within one parcel. Four bottles of nail varnish up to 30ml are allowed per parcel. All must be correctly packaged.
Receiving mail
Post Office staff will seek to leave any parcels not requiring a signature in a safe place and put a notice left card through the letter box to advise customers where the parcel has been left. Should no safe location be identified, the parcel will be brought back for safe keeping and a notice left card will advise customers of this.
For up to date information visit www.iompost.com/christmas.