Package delivery box Holiday Shipping

2025 Holiday Shipping Schedule

Holiday shipping comes with tight deadlines, high volumes, and winter delays, so planning ahead is essential. All major Canadian carriers will be closed on December 25, December 26, and January 1, with no pickups or deliveries on those dates. Starting early helps ensure your packages arrive on time.

Recommended Last Ship-By Dates for Christmas Delivery

These dates align with widely published seasonal guidance for a reliable pre-Christmas arrival. Weather, volume, and service alerts may still affect delivery. To maintain the highest level of peace of mind, please do not wait until the deadline (if possible). Note that the information below is solely for reference.

UPS (Canada)

Ground: Ship by December 16, 2025
Air / Express services: Ship by December 23, 2025

International Deadlines
– UPS Ground (Canada → U.S.) ship by December 15, 2025
– UPS 3-Day Select (Canada → U.S.) ship by Dec 19, 2025
– UPS Expedited (Canada → U.S.) ship by Dec 22, 2025
– UPS Express (Canada → U.S. / International) ship by Dec 23, 2025 for many destinations.

Purolator

Ground (national): Ship by December 15, 2025
Regional: Ship by December 18, 2025
Local: Ship by December 19, 2025
Purolator Express / Next-Day: Ship by December 22, 2025

International Deadlines:
– To U.S. via Purolator Ground: ship by Dec 15, 2025

Canada Post

Regular Parcel: Ship by December 19, 2025
Xpresspost & Priority: Ship by December 22, 2025

International Deadlines:
– Please Click Here for detailed regional deadlines

Canpar Express

Cutoff dates vary by province.
– Example: Ontario → Ontario: Ship by December 22, 2025, at the latest
– Inter-provincial shipments: often require shipping between December 16–18, 2025

DHL Express (Canada)

Express Worldwide: Ship by December 17, 2025, for Christmas delivery within Canada

International Deadlines:
– Ship by December 17, 2025

ICS Courier

Regional/Local courier: Typically requires shipping by December 19–20, 2025, for pre-Christmas delivery
(Exact dates vary by route and city)

Loomis Express

Historically follows the cutoff guidance similar to Canpar and Purolator
General recommendation: Ship by December 18–20, 2025, at the latest

Wishing You The Best

The netParcel team thanks all of our customers for a memorable 2025! We wish you and yours a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a fantastic New Year!

Further Reading

Purolator Announcement: Electronic Commercial Invoices unveiled!

As an addition to our improved Purolator rates into the US, we are happy to announce that all Purolator Commercial Invoices will now be communicated to the carrier electronically! No longer will you have to include physical copies of your CI for southbound shipments! Your CI will be electronically tied to your label(s) in an […]

Read More

A Guide to Peak Season Surcharges. What are they and do they affect me?

What are peak season surcharges? How do they differ among carriers? How long will they last? These answers and a carrier-by-carrier breakdown will be covered in this post. Peak season surcharges are implemented by most carriers to cover the additional operating expenses stemming from increased holiday season volume. They generally take effect from mid-October to […]

Read More

Breaking News: U.S. Waives Taxes & Tariffs on China-Made Goods Under Section 321

Starting February 5, 2025, merchants shipping goods from Canada to the United States will benefit from a significant policy update: shipments containing items made in China will now qualify for tax and tariff-free entry under Section 321’s $800 de minimis threshold until further notice. This change presents a major cost-saving opportunity for Canadian businesses selling […]

Read More