Sorry to bring up Christmas… but it’s time to talk shipping!

I know, I know… it feels far too early to mention the C word. But if you’re shopping small this year (and I really hope you are!), here are some important dates and tips to make sure your gifts arrive on time.

Every year around this time, I get a wave of festive anxiety, that fear that someone’s chosen to buy a Shiv Textiles gift for a loved one, and it might not arrive in time. It honestly fills me with dread! As a small business, my customers mean everything to me. You keep my little weaving studio open and allow me to live out my dream. So I want to make sure your parcels get to you safe and sound.

Here are a few key dates and some handy tips for shopping with small businesses this Christmas, especially those of us using Royal Mail.

Always leave enough time for your orders to arrive

If the small business you’re buying from offers custom or made-to-order pieces, keep in mind they’ll need extra time to make and ship your order. It’s totally worth the wait, those one-of-a-kind pieces are extra special but it’s good to check the product description or message the maker to make sure your item will arrive before the big day.

Little tip: Dispatch time and delivery time are two different things!

• Dispatch time = how long it takes a small business to prepare and pack your order.

• Delivery time = how long it takes once it’s with the courier or Royal Mail.

  
  

Here at Shiv Textiles, I aim to dispatch orders within 1-3 business days. I use Royal Mail Tracked 48 for UK orders, and for international parcels, delivery can take 5-10 working days, sometimes a little longer during the Christmas rush.

Always go for tracked shipping

I know it’s tempting to save a couple of pounds, but tracked shipping takes so much stress out of Christmas shopping. You’ll get updates straight to your phone or email, and you won’t have to wonder if your postie has “hidden” your parcel somewhere creative (we’ve all been there!).

Little tip: Before you email a small business to ask about your order, check your tracking number. It often answers your question instantly. We’ll always get back to you, but things get hectic in December!

Here at Shiv Textiles, if you add your mobile number at checkout, Royal Mail can send you text updates, too.

Double (and triple) check your shipping address

Once an order’s been shipped, we can’t change the address. Trust me, this one hurts! There’s nothing worse than realising your parcel’s on its way to your old flat. I’ve done it myself and had to drive across town hoping someone honest was in to hand it over!

Little tip: Always double-check your full address and postcode before clicking “buy.”

Here at Shiv Textiles, we can also gift wrap and send your order directly to your loved one, just make sure all the shipping details are correct.

Check the last order + shipping dates

Here are my last order and shipping dates for 2025, they’ll be similar for other small UK businesses that use Royal Mail:

UK Tracked 48: 

Last order: Thursday 18th December 

Last shipping: Friday 19th December

UK Special Delivery: 

Last order: Saturday 20th December 

Last shipping: Sunday 21st December

Orders placed after 21st December will be sent out after  Christmas, we small business owners need a bit of festive time off too! 

International shipping: Christmas is the busiest time of the year for global post, so please, please order early!

France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Austria:

Last order: Friday 5th December

Last shipping: Saturday 6th December

Rest of Europe:

Last order: Monday 1st December

Last shipping: Tuesday 2nd December

Canada, USA, Republic of Ireland:

Last order: Tuesday 9th December

Last shipping: Wednesday 10th December

Australia & New Zealand:

Last order:Friday 5th December

Last shipping: Saturday 6th December

Rest of World:

Last order: Monday 1st December

Last shipping: Tuesday 2nd December

Remember, small businesses aren’t Amazon

The magic of shopping small is that you’re buying directly from real people, artists, makers, designers, dreamers. We can’t turn things around as fast as the big corporations, but what we can do is offer care, craftsmanship, and quality you won’t find anywhere else.

Be patient, be kind, and know that every order is handled with so much love (and usually a cup of tea on the side).

Something wrong?

If there’s ever an issue with your order, just drop me an email at hello@shivtextiles.co.uk and I’ll do my best to sort it quickly. Please don’t rush to leave a review before giving us a chance. We’ll always try to make things right, and kindness goes a long way during the Christmas rush.

Thank you so much for shopping small this season.

You’re not just buying a gift, you’re supporting a dream, a craft, and a whole lot of creativity.