Royal Mail has announced its latest recommended international posting dates for overseas destinations to ensure mail arrives with loved ones in time for Christmas.

The first international recommended posting date for mail being sent to Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central & South America, the Far East, and the Middle East, is December 9.

To send cards or gifts to Cyprus and Malta, they should be posted no later than December 10.

For Eastern Europe (except the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia) cards and gifts should be sent no later than December 11.

Those wishing to send festive greetings to friends and family in Australia, New Zealand, Greece or Turkey, will need to make sure everything is ready to send by December 12.

Letters and presents on their way to Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Finland, Sweden, and the USA should be posted no later than December 14 to arrive in time for Christmas.

Festive greetings being sent to Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, and Switzerland, will need to be in the mail by December 16.

Season’s greetings going to Belgium, France, Ireland, and Luxembourg should be posted by December 18.

The last posting dates apply to both standard international services and those which have tracking and signature.