2025 Guide to Holiday Shipping Deadlines Canada

The holiday season is the busiest—and most profitable—time of the year for eCommerce businesses and warehouse operators. But it can also be the most stressful. Between increased order volumes, tight carrier schedules, and unpredictable weather, keeping your shipping promises can be a challenge.

Understanding the international holiday shipping deadlines from Canada and planning ahead helps you avoid delays, reduce costs, and deliver a smooth customer experience. This guide brings together the key shipping dates, carrier details, and action steps every Canadian business should follow this season.

Key 2025 Holiday Closures

Most carriers across Canada will close or operate on limited schedules during key holidays.

For key events, ship around these closures and add a day or two of buffer time to stay safe.

• Thanksgiving – Monday, October 13
  
  
• Christmas Day – Thursday, December 25
  
  
• Boxing Day – Friday, December 26
  
  

Canada Post: Last Days to Ship (Domestic)

While there is a lot of debate around the upcoming Canada Post strike, which may or may not happen, let us continue to consider this popular shipping service for Christmas delivery. 

For on-time delivery, aim to send by these dates:

• Local – Regular Parcel Dec 19 · Expedited Dec 20 · Xpresspost/Priority Dec 23
  
  
• Regional – Regular Dec 16 · Expedited Dec 18 · Xpresspost/Priority Dec 23
  
  
• National – Regular Dec 10 · Expedited Dec 12 · Xpresspost/Priority Dec 20

We have a detailed article on Canada Post Shipping schedule based on each courier. 

USPS (International) – 2025 Last Days to Ship

For orders to Canada moving via USPS:

• First-Class Package International Service®: Dec 9
• Priority Mail International®: Dec 9
  
  
• Priority Mail Express International®: Dec 16

Based on timelines and cost, USPS courier can help you optimize your shipping operations. To help you know more, we have a detailed article on the USPS shipping schedule based on each courier and which one you should go for. 

Note: Transit times vary by country and customs. Add a 1–2 day buffer when possible.

Purolator: Key 2025 Cut-offs

If you want to ship your items using Purolator, here are the key shipping deadlines you need to remember while shipping from Canada. 

• Africa, Eastern Europe, Middle East, South Asia: Dec 11
  
  
• United States (Ground): Dec 15
  
  
• East Asia (China, Japan, Thailand): Dec 17
  
  
• Australia, Caribbean, Mexico, South & Central America, Western Europe: Dec 18
  
  
• Canada & U.S. (Next-Day): Dec 23 (Ship by Dec 22 for safety.)
  
  

UPS, DHL, and Uni Uni 

To add to the bunch, here are the shipping cut-off dates for the following popular shipment services from Canada. 

• UPS: Use the “Calculate Time & Cost” tool at ups.com/ca for accurate cut-offs by destination and service.
  
  
• DHL Express: International express shipments close around Dec 17.
  
  
• Uni Uni: Domestic Standard — National Dec 12, Regional Dec 16.

To know more about the UPS holiday shipping schedule, and DHL express shipping schedule, check out Easyship to have a detailed outline on timelines and cost estimates to make shipping easier during the busy holiday season. 

It is important to remember that carriers do not guarantee delivery during the holiday rush. Always confirm your exact cut-offs before committing to customers.

Execution Playbook for eCommerce & Warehouse Teams

Getting ready for the holidays starts with a clear plan. Keep your carriers flexible,set order cut-offs your customers can trust, and tighten fulfillment so parcels move fast and clean. 

These steps make it easy to execute under pressure.

1) Build a multi-carrier strategy

Don’t rely on one network. Use at least two carriers. Mix by speed (Express, Expedited, Ground), geography (domestic vs. cross-border), and capabilities (Saturday delivery, remote coverage, dangerous goods). This spreads risk and keeps options open when volumes spike.

For your multi-carrier strategy, multi-carrier software comparison solution is helpful as it allows you to view multiple couriers, with their total cost and delivery timeline on one single dashboard. 

2) Publish clear storefront cut-offs

Turn carrier cut-offs into customer-facing order-by dates. Subtract:

• Pick/pack SLAs
  
  
• Daily pickup times
  
  
• A 1–2 day buffer for weather or volume
  
  

Example: If Xpresspost (national) cuts off Dec 20, and you need one day to fulfill, publish Dec 18–19 as your last order date.

3) Pre-position inventory

Place top SKUs in the right provinces or near the border. This shortens transit time, lowers costs, and protects margins on free-shipping promos. Faster shipping also improves customer satisfaction and repeat orders.

4) Tighten packaging & compliance

Use sturdy boxes, proper cushioning, and scannable labels. For international orders, double-check HS codes, declared values, and item descriptions to avoid customs delays. Validate lithium battery and hazmat requirements early.

5) Track, communicate, escalate

Enable proactive tracking notifications, and show delivery estimates at checkout by service level. If a shipment risks missing SLA, upgrade it and alert the customer early. Transparency builds trust and reduces service tickets.

6) Plan buffers & contingencies

Expect weather issues and carrier surges, especially Dec 16–23. Keep a small budget for last-mile upgrades and goodwill gestures like e-gift cards or partial refunds. It’s cheaper than losing a loyal customer.

Shift Your Holiday Shipping to the Top Gear with Easyship

The best peak-season operations are the ones that plan early, communicate clearly, and stay flexible. By following these holiday shipping tips and building smart shipping workflows, your business can keep promises, delight customers, and finish 2025’s holiday rush strong.

This ease of shipping comes with Easyship. 

Easyship gives you the flexibility to choose from multiple global carriers and even get discounted rates up to 91%! From fastest courier options to calculating overall taxes, you get the sweet deal of cost efficient and super fast shipping for your business this busy holiday season. 

Don’t believe us? 

Try Easyship for free!

Happy Holidays!

FAQs

What is the cut-off date for Christmas shipping?
Most carriers recommend shipping by December 18–20, 2025 for domestic deliveries within Canada. Exact dates vary by carrier and service speed—express options can go later, while standard shipping should go earlier (around Dec 10–12).

Do holidays count as business days for shipping?
No. Statutory holidays are not counted as business days. Carriers are closed and packages do not move on holidays like Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Will mail be delivered on July 5th, 2025?
Yes. July 5, 2025 (Saturday) is not a public holiday in Canada, so regular mail and courier deliveries should operate as usual, depending on your carrier and region.

What is the cut-off date for shipping?
Cut-off dates vary by carrier, service level, and destination.
In general:

• Domestic Standard: Ship by Dec 10–12, 2025
• Express: Ship by Dec 18–20, 2025
• International: Ship by Dec 5–15, 2025, depending on service type and destination.

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