Canada Post has announced its domestic, U.S. and international mailing deadlines for the upcoming holiday season.
For cards mailed within Canada, the local deadline (for mailing within a city) is Dec. 21; the regional deadline (within a province or territory) is Dec. 20; and the national deadline (across provinces and territories) is Dec. 17.
In the United States, the letter-post deadline for all states is Dec. 9.
Lastly, the international letter-post deadlines include
- Nov. 19 for Africa, Asia, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and New Zealand;
- Nov. 25 for Australia;
- Nov. 26 for Europe, China and India;
- Nov. 30 for the United Kingdom and Switzerland;
- Dec. 1 for Japan;
- Dec. 2 for the Netherlands;
- Dec. 3 for France; and
- Dec. 7 for Germany.
For more information about holiday package deadlines, visit canadapost.ca/mailingdates.
LETTERS TO SANTA
Canada Post also outlined its letter-writing program with Santa Claus, who receives and answers more than a million letters each year in 39 languages, including braille.
“Helping Santa with his letters is a long-standing tradition at Canada Post, and we encourage all parents and children to send letters to Santa this year,” says Nicole Lecompte, a media relations rep with the Crown corporation.
The North Pole Post Office is now open, and Santa’s postal elves are ready to help him reply to every letter with a return address. Letters can be addressed to Santa Claus, North Pole, H0H 0H0, and should be mailed by Dec. 10 to receive a reply before Christmas. No postage is necessary—but remember to include a return address.
“We can guarantee that every letter dropped in the mailbox before Christmas Day will be delivered to Santa, and he will make it a priority to read it,” adds Lecompte. “Every child will get a response from Santa.”