Christmas 2026: how late can you order from a Dutch web shop for delivery abroad?

Christmas gifts from the Netherlands are hard to get hold of abroad: many Dutch web shops deliver only within the Netherlands, or to the Netherlands and Belgium. With a Dutch delivery address from DZH Transport you simply order from those web shops; we receive your parcels, bundle them and forward them to your own address. In December one more question comes up: how late can you still do that?

This article lists, per carrier and per destination, the last shipping day the carriers themselves publish, and counts back to the day you need to order. Below that you will read what to do when time gets tight, and why a parcel leaving the EU needs extra attention at customs in December.

Last shipping day per carrier and destination

The table shows the last day a parcel must be with the carrier to be delivered before Christmas, exactly as the carrier states it, with source and reference date. Time comes off that: the web shop first has to deliver to us, we report your parcel and wait for your approval, and when bundling we only ship once the last order has arrived. So allow at least four working days between your order and the day in the table, more if you bundle. If your destination is not listed, ask us about the transit time beforehand.

Checked on 19 October 2026; each row names its source. The shop or the customs authority of the country decides — check before you order.

"Not yet announced" means the carrier had not published its 2026 date on the reference date; we update the table as soon as it does, so check again shortly before you order. For the EU we take the earliest date of all EU countries, so the table is safe for every country; to neighbours such as Germany and Belgium there is usually a few days more room. The dates come from the carriers and are not a guarantee from us: we have no influence on busy sorting centres or on customs.

How to make it with room to spare

Order early and preferably in one go: the further into December, the fuller the sorting centres, and a bundle only leaves once the last order has arrived. If you want to bundle, place your orders within a few days of each other, and let a later top-up order travel separately. Register every parcel in My DZH straight away with the web shop's tracking code; then we see it coming and everything is ready the moment it arrives.

Give your approval on the day we report your parcel, because a parcel waiting for approval stands still. Check the delivery address and your phone number in My DZH: a driver who cannot find an address in December rarely comes back the same day. And when in doubt, choose the faster service; you see the price difference in the calculator beforehand, you only see the difference in days once it is too late.

Outside the EU: expect customs in December

Within the EU your parcel does not pass customs. To the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the US, Canada or Australia it does, and in December customs handles far more parcels with the same people. We always declare the real purchase value, with your web shop invoice as proof, also for a gift: entering a lower value or "gift" is fraud and actually prolongs the inspection. The recipient usually pays VAT and import duties on delivery or in advance via a link from the carrier; what your country charges is in our article on import duties per country.

Frequently asked questions