Christmas planning checklist UK: what to sort, and when

Start in early November by agreeing who is hosting, who is travelling and on which days. Then check your children's school holiday dates, note the 2026 bank holidays (Friday 25 December and Monday 28 December), and post cards by Royal Mail's last recommended dates: 18 December for second class, 21 December for first class.

When should you start planning Christmas?

Early November is a good time. Most Christmas friction comes from not knowing who is where on which day. Once the dates are agreed, the rest is a list of jobs, each with someone's name on it. The checklist below runs week by week.

What should you sort in November?

• Agree the plan for each day from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day: who hosts, who travels, who stays over.
• Check the school holiday dates. They are set locally, so find them on your council's website through GOV.UK's school term dates page. Siblings at different schools may break up on different days.
• Check work leave for both adults, and any childcare gap between the end of term and Christmas Eve.
• Start one shared gift list showing who is buying for whom, so presents aren't doubled up.
• Ask relatives for wishlists early, especially for children.
• Book anything that fills up: travel, a supermarket delivery slot, a table if you're eating out.

What should you sort in early December?

• Write the card list and buy stamps.
• Put the school events in the family calendar: nativity, Christmas fair, jumper day, last day of term. Letters about these often arrive at short notice.
• Plan the food for the main days: who brings what, any dietary needs, what gets ordered and when it is collected.
• Check your council's website for changes to bin collections over Christmas and New Year.
• Send anything going abroad first. Royal Mail's international dates are earlier than its UK dates and are listed in its country guides.

What are the Royal Mail last posting dates for Christmas 2026?

Royal Mail's last recommended posting dates for UK delivery before Christmas 2026:

Royal Mail says these dates can change, so check its page before you post.

Which days are bank holidays over Christmas 2026?

Shops and council services often change their hours around these days, so check opening times for anything you will need.

What should you sort in the week before Christmas?

• Confirm the plan for each day in one message to everyone involved, so nobody is working from an old version.
• Confirm food orders and collection times.
• Wrap, label and tick presents off the gift list.
• Agree who does which jobs on the day: cooking, washing up, lifts, walking the dog.
• Charge devices and find the batteries.

What if the children spend Christmas in two homes?

Agree times and handovers as early as you can, and write them down where both homes can see them. Our guide to planning Christmas between two homes covers the practical side, and the free co-parenting schedule planner sets out who has which nights.

How does Haevn help with Christmas planning?

Haevn keeps the whole plan in one place for your household, up to 8 people.

• Plan: the shared calendar for who is where each day, school events and bank holidays. One-click add to Google or Outlook. Two-way sync coming soon.
• Lists: the gift list, the card list and the food shop, which anyone in the family can add to.
• Meal Planner: the meals for the main days, with your family's dietary needs set once.
• Family Chat: one place to confirm the plan, instead of three group chats.

If you're comparing family organisers, see our guide to family organiser apps in the UK.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• GOV.UK, UK bank holidays: www.gov.uk/bank-holidays (checked 27 October 2026)
• Royal Mail, Christmas last posting dates 2026: www.royalmail.com/christmas/last-posting-dates (checked 27 October 2026)
• GOV.UK, School term and holiday dates: www.gov.uk/school-term-holiday-dates (checked 27 October 2026)