Sending gifts this Christmas? Here's what to avoid. Photo / 123rf
Sending gifts this Christmas? Here's what to avoid. Photo / 123rf
The silly season is upon us. Mariah Carey is dominating radio stations once again, the annual “Is November too early to put up a tree” debate has reignited, and there are so many Christmas decorations at The Warehouse you can barely walk through the store without tripping over.
While many of us have started trawling the world wide web for all the best Black Friday, Cyber Monday and pre-Christmas sales for gifts for both our close and long-distance friends and family, sometimes the gift you really want isn’t online, meaning it’s up to you to figure out when the Christmas shipping date cut-offs are - warning: they’re very soon, and if you can even send the item.
To save you some stress, we’ve pulled together a handy guide on what presents you can’t send via post this silly season:
1. Powerbanks
It’s a perfect gift for 20-year-old Sarah who is on her OE, unfortunately, you’ll have to slip her some coin to buy it herself as powerbanks are unable to be sent via New Zealand postal services such as NZ Post, New Zealand Couriers, PBT, Aramex and Post Haste due to their Dangerous Goods Policies - however, if you have the correct paperwork, you may be able to send it.
Along with car and wet cell batteries, Non-Lithium-ion battery products like electronic appliances and toys, as well as Lithium-metal or Lithium-ion battery items – like vapes and small portable electronics (that includes the spicy vibrator you were about to send to your bestie), are all a hard no according to the postal service.
2. Fashion and beauty items
Nail polish is a seemingly innocent gift that would be perfect for 7-year-old niece Libby, sadly it’s not so innocent according to Kiwi postal services.
Since it’s classed as a flammable liquid, it’s too much of a risk to cart and is named alongside perfume – including aftershave and cologne, and essential oils as a prohibited item. Most postal services also note jewellery as a no-go item due to its potentially large monetary value.
Nail polish for Christmas? Not via courier. Photo / 123rf
3. Alcohol
While you’re pretty safe to be sending alcohol, like a bottle of whiskey for Uncle Bob or a magnum Moet for your sister Jessica, sending anything over five litres or anything more than 70 per cent alc/vol, will be turned away by postal services as – like some beauty items – it falls under their flammable liquid restrictions.
Other items on the list include the likes of turpentine, varnish, solvents, lighter fluids, petrol and cleaning materials, and many more.
4. Bicycles
It’s hard being a long-distance grandparent, especially if little Jack is desperate for his first bicycle and you can’t send one to him unless it’s boxed and undersized according to New Zealand Couriers. In cases like this, save yourself the stress and see if the merchant can send it directly to the recipient’s house, or try Post Haste, Aramex, Mainfreight or PBT who are set up to cart larger items.
Other items that are unable to be sent via NZ Post and New Zealand Couriers due to their size include cabinets, chairs, furniture and vehicle tyres. Again, you may have better luck sending them through other postal companies that specialise in carting larger items.
If you're sending a bicycle, head to a company that specialises in larger items. Photo / 123rf
5. Vouchers or money
They’re the perfect gift for any hard-to-buy friends and family members, it’s just a blanket rule that they aren’t a love match for Kiwi postal services. Due to the item being classed as valuable, they have landed a spot on the prohibited items list.
Other items on this list include EFTPOS, credit and gift cards, Passports and National ID cards, keys, currency, traveller’s cheques, bonds and shares.
6. Artwork
There is no gift more unique than a luxurious piece of art. Maybe you picked up a Bernie Kirkham piece and thought it would look great in the kitchen at your son and his partner’s home, perhaps you caved and brought the Simon Lewis Jumbo Jet cast glass crystal to send to your friend. Whatever the case, unfortunately, you can’t send them on NZ Post or New Zealand Couriers.
Like vouchers and money, artwork is classed as a valuable item and is therefore prohibited. Postal services such as Post Haste, Aramex, Mainfreight and PBT may send the items, however, it is on a case-by-case basis and it’s recommended you speak to their customer service teams before sending these types of items. Any form of jewellery – including precious metals, stones and watches, stamps and fragile items are generally included on New Zealand postal services prohibited lists.
Simon Lewis Wards jet planes. Photo / Luke Foley-Martin
7. Flowers and gift baskets
Unless you suffer from sensitive sinuses’, flowers are a perfect gift for the person who has everything and gift baskets are even better. Unfortunately, they are only able to be sent on the service if they are sent through an account holder who has approval or the gift basket or hamper is boxed and under size.
This means you can’t walk into NZ Post or New Zealand Couriers and ask to send away the item, you’ll have to instead purchase them online with a merchant who offers nation – or worldwide shipping. It is not clear whether Post Haste, Aramex, Mainfreight and PBT ship these types of items.
Cut-off dates:
Now that we have gone through what you can’t send through the post this Christmas, the next issue on the agenda is when you need to send your gifts by.
Each service offers slightly different cut-off dates for certain destinations in the world, as well as what type of service you require. While most cut-off dates are around late November for international deliveries, some express courier services mean you can send right up until December 15.
Whatever you're sending this Christmas, be sure to check cut-off dates so it gets there on time. Photo / 123rf
As for any Australia-bound deliveries, it’s requested you send them earlier the better with NZ Post’s standard delivery cut-off being as early as November 29 - New Zealand Couriers offers a slightly later date of December 4. However, if you’re struggling to pick the perfect gift, there are courier and express options meaning you can courier as late as December 14 on New Zealand Couriers and December 18 on NZ Post.
If you’re sending within Aotearoa, New Zealand Couriers offers rural zone-bound packages to be sent up until December 18, residential until December 19 and business until December 20. While on NZ Post, you can send economy packages up until December 18, and courier until December 20.
Aramex list their cut-off for international bound deliveries, November 27 and Australia as December 4, while any couriers bound for New Zealand have cut-off dates between December 18 and 20. Post Haste cut-off dates are very similar to New Zealand Couriers, however, they do ask rural addresses that are travelling inter-island be posted by December 15.
As for PBT, inter-island deliveries must be sent between December 16 and 21, while same-island deliveries are to be sent between December 16 and 22. To ensure your parcel arrives on time, the transport service recommends allowing one to two days for seasonal volumes.
Lillie Rohan is an Auckland-based reporter covering lifestyle and entertainment stories who joined the Herald in 2020. She specialises in all things relationships and dating, great Taylor Swift ticket wars and TV shows you simply cannot miss out on.
