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Christmas wishes for family abroad: timing them right

It's 10pm on Christmas Eve in London. The presents are wrapped and you want to message your brother in Sydney. For him it's already 9am on Christmas morning. In New York, where your best friend lives, it's only 5pm.

Christmas doesn't happen everywhere at once. It doesn't even happen on the same day everywhere. Here's what to keep in mind when you send wishes abroad.

Not everyone opens presents on the 25th

In the UK and other English speaking countries, presents are usually opened on the morning of 25 December. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland the big moment comes a day earlier. Presents are given on the evening of Christmas Eve.

Other countries focus on the 24th too. In Sweden, Christmas Eve is still the main day of celebration, and Santa brings the gifts that day. In Poland, Wigilia starts on 24 December when the first star appears. It's a festive supper, and presents and carols follow.

So ask how the family celebrates. A message on Christmas Eve suits a friend in Stockholm. For your cousin in Manchester, Christmas morning is the moment.

Christmas on 7 January

Many Orthodox Christians follow the Julian calendar and celebrate Christmas on 7 January. That includes Serbia, Georgia, Russia and Belarus. Coptic Christians in Egypt celebrate on that day as well. In 2027, 7 January falls on a Thursday.

Not every Orthodox church uses this date. In Greece and Romania, Christmas is on 25 December.

Ukraine changed its public holiday. President Zelensky signed the law in July 2023. Since 2023, 25 December has been the official Christmas holiday there.

If you're not sure, just ask. That's kinder than a greeting on the wrong day.

Time zones: Christmas morning travels

The UK turned its clocks back on 25 October 2026. Sydney started summer time on 4 October. By Christmas, Sydney is eleven hours ahead of London.

  • 9am on 25 December in Sydney is 10pm on Christmas Eve in London.
  • 8am on Christmas Day in London is 7pm in Sydney.

The US turned its clocks back on 1 November 2026. At Christmas, New York is five hours behind London.

  • 9am on 25 December in New York is 2pm in London.
  • 8am on Christmas Day in London is 3am in New York.

Send one message to everyone at breakfast and you'll wake some people and miss the moment for others. For more on these calculations, read our guide to birthday wishes across time zones.

Post takes longer than you think

Cards and parcels abroad need far more time than post within the UK. Royal Mail publishes last recommended posting dates for Christmas every year, with separate dates for international mail. It also advises posting international items early.

Check the current list before you buy stamps. A card that lands a few days before Christmas is fine. One that arrives in January is a different story.

How to make your wishes land

  1. Confirm the day. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or 7 January? A quick message to the family settles it.
  2. Think in their time. Add their city to the world clock on your phone. Check whether they are on summer time.
  3. Post early, send digital on time. A card can arrive early. A digital greeting works best at the right moment.
  4. Use your voice. A few spoken sentences sound like home. For more ideas for people far away, see our long distance birthday ideas.
  5. Save time for later. Once the busy part of the day is over, there's often room for a longer call.

A greeting that opens on time

If you'd like to prepare a digital greeting, Tadawink is one option. You pick an animated gift with a card and schedule it up to 30 days ahead in the recipient's time zone. You can still make changes until 15 minutes before. You can also add a voice message of up to 60 seconds.

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