Sinterklaas parcel abroad (2026): order in time for 5 December
In 2026 pakjesavond falls on Saturday 5 December; in Belgium, Sinterklaas is celebrated on Sunday 6 December. Living abroad, that is when the Netherlands feels far away: chocolate letters and pepernoten are far from easy to find in the shops there, and many Dutch web shops only deliver in the Netherlands, or in the Netherlands and Belgium.
A Dutch delivery address solves that: you order from your usual shops, we receive everything, combine it and forward one box. Below you'll read when to order per region, how family in the Netherlands can send a parcel your way, what can go in a Sinterklaas parcel and how customs treats presents.
When to order: our advice per region
We count back from Friday 4 December, the last working day before pakjesavond. That covers the web shop's delivery to us, one working day to report your parcel, your approval, the transit time to your country and extra room for the December rush and, outside the EU, for customs. Combining several orders? Then the date applies to the last one: we ship only once everything is in.
The table gives, per region, the last day to place your order with the web shop. Countries up to three working days away include Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Denmark, Poland and Czechia; outside Europe a parcel easily takes one to two weeks, even outside December. If your country is not listed, ask us about the transit time first. This is advice, not a guarantee: we have no say over carriers or customs.
| EU, up to three working days in transit | Friday 13 November |
|---|---|
| Other EU countries, UK, Switzerland and Norway | Monday 2 November |
| United States and Canada | Friday 23 October |
| Australia and New Zealand | Friday 16 October |
| Pakjesavond in the Netherlands | Saturday 5 December |
How the Sinterklaas parcel reaches you
In My DZH you request your DZH address: our delivery address in the Netherlands, with your personal customer code. With it you order chocolate letters, kruidnoten and presents from Dutch web shops as if you lived here. Register each parcel in My DZH with the tracking code and what is inside, and tick 'Food' for sweets and biscuits.
Family in the Netherlands can send you a parcel in two ways. If you share your DZH address and customer code, they order in your name and you see every parcel arrive. If it has to stay a surprise, the giver opens an account of their own, orders under their own name and customer code, and adds your address in My DZH as the delivery address.
What can go in the Sinterklaas parcel?
Pepernoten, kruidnoten, speculaas, marzipan and chocolate letters in their original packaging usually travel without trouble; dairy and meat are sensitive in many countries. Your country's customs decide what gets in; the food rules are in our article on stroopwafels and other Dutch treats. For the USA, the FDA requires advance notice when a business ships food, so always tick 'Food'.
Presents outside the EU: expect customs
Within the EU the recipient pays no import duties. Outside it, a present can attract VAT and duties, because in the UK and the USA the gift rules only cover a gift from one private person to another. The UK government says so plainly: something you buy and have delivered is not treated as a gift; and according to PostNL, a web shop order sent straight to a recipient in the USA counts as a commercial shipment.
We always declare the actual purchase value on the customs papers; we do not mark a parcel as a gift to avoid charges. The recipient usually pays the charges on delivery. Since 29 August 2025 any shipment to the USA can be charged import duties; what your country charges is in our article on import duties per country.
Frequently asked questions
By when should I order for pakjesavond 2026?
It depends on your country. Our advice: EU countries up to three working days away by 13 November; other EU countries, the UK, Switzerland and Norway by 2 November; the USA and Canada by 23 October; Australia and New Zealand by 16 October. This is advice, not a guarantee.
Can chocolate go in the Sinterklaas parcel?
Usually yes, in its original packaging; tick 'Food' when you register the parcel. To Australia, New Zealand or South Africa the parcel travels into summer, and chocolate can melt on the way; we don't ship refrigerated.
Will a Sinterklaas parcel reach the USA in time?
If you order by 23 October there is room for it, but there is no guarantee. Since 29 August 2025 any shipment to the USA can be charged import duties. Food that a business sends to the USA must be notified to the FDA in advance.
Can family in the Netherlands send a surprise parcel?
Yes. The giver opens an account of their own, orders under their own name and customer code, and adds the recipient's address in My DZH as the delivery address. That way the recipient doesn't see the individual orders come in.