If you’re one of the 37% of Brits determined to beat the Christmas rush this year, the Post Office has made many lives simpler and less stressful by revealing this festive season’s peak posting day.

By analysing the volume of items being sent over previous Christmases, the Post Office has calculated that Monday 11th December is likely the day that the largest number of people will be braving the cold to get their gifts and cards sent to loved ones.

But with 30 per cent saying they leave it until the week before the big day to have all their Christmas shopping done, the crowds are likely to remain sizeable all the way up to Christmas. Effort counts too: 29 per cent worry a late gift will give a poor impression if it doesn’t arrive on time.

And with just eight per cent of people planning to do all their Christmas shopping online this year, the majority of us will be taking to the streets to soak up the festive atmosphere, meaning branches could be busier still.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the general mood of the nation is a little gloomy, but the research shows that excitement for Christmas has never been higher in the three years of the Post Office Annual Christmas Survey. More than a third of us (35%) were so enthusiastic we started our Christmas shopping in October.

On the flip side, fewer of us are feeling negative about Christmas, with 10 per cent saying they feel anxious about the day compared to 23 per cent last year.

Two in three (63 per cent) say that spending time with family and friends feels more important than ever – and over half think they’ll spend more time at home.

Laura Joseph, Director of Customer Experience, Marketing and Digital at Post Office, said, “It’s wonderful to see so much excitement for Christmas and enthusiasm for getting out onto the high street this year. You can help to avoid the rush by posting early to make sure gifts and cards arrive in plenty of time.”

Excitement about Christmas is tempered by concern about the affordability of Christmas and the cost of living. Thirty-two per cent are concerned that they’ll be unable to afford it this year – although this is down on last year (41 per cent).

The first thing people will sacrifice to save money this year is Christmas parties (24 per cent), followed by visiting Santa (18 per cent) and putting up Christmas decorations (15 per cent).

In typical British fashion, the last things to go would be Christmas dinner (8 per cent) and mince pies (11 per cent). In a new dynamic, one in six (16 per cent) of those in Gen Z are even paying or getting paid by their family to eat or cook Christmas dinner this year.

Presents are one of the most expensive elements of Christmas, and 30 per cent of people say they’ll be talking to friends and family about whether gift-giving is necessary this year, while 20 per cent say they’ll spend less than in previous years.

The people who’d be most disappointed by fewer pressies are, of course, kids.

Twenty-four per cent of parents worry about the upset to their children of fewer presents, while 31 per cent of parents plan to sit down and talk to their children about the importance of budgeting ahead of Christmas.

Meanwhile, Gen Z are the most likely to make homemade gifts, with two in five (39 per cent) putting their creative hats on to save money (50 per cent).

Of those who are shopping earlier, 37 per cent say it is because they have less money to spend and that things are cheaper the earlier they’re bought (35 per cent).

Laura continued, “Posting early is a great way to capitalise on different posting options and rates.

We’ve actually got more than you might think: our new in-branch parcel service, using DPD and Evri, offers far more choices for your post in time for peak Christmas delivery.

“And if you don’t fancy braving the cold and the crowds, our Parcels Online service enables you to compare and purchase postage online, and all you need to do is drop it off in-store. If you’re posting internationally, make sure you’re aware of international posting rules and consider filling out customs forms at home to save time in the branch and get the right compensation cover for your gift.”

“For anyone too busy to stay at home and wait for deliveries in the run-up to Christmas, you can also take advantage of click-and-collect services from your local Post Office. Look out for the Post Office branch delivery option when shopping online.”

Thirty-three per cent of the population plan to send gifts or cards abroad this year, yet nearly half (48 per cent) do not insure the contents of their presents, and just 11 per cent tick the ‘gift box’ item when sending gifts outside the EU.

Things occasionally go wrong in international posting, yet 3 in 5 (60 per cent) don’t add a sender’s address – making it hard to return an item if there is an issue.

For more information this Christmas period, head to the Post Office’s Christmas hub, www.postoffice.co.uk/christmas.

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