Christmas Order-By Dates for Paint by Numbers Kits (2026)

Last updated: 22 October 2026 · Written by Marcus Richardson, founder of Paint A Moment

Every year a few customers cut it fine for Christmas. Most kits still arrive in time, but the happiest gifters are always the ones who ordered with a comfortable buffer built in. This guide sets out exactly when to order, for a custom kit and for a ready-made design, so you are not guessing.

Why a paint by numbers kit needs more notice than most gifts

A ready-made kit ships much like any other product: we dispatch it, a courier carries it to you, done. A custom kit made from your photo has an extra step in the middle. Once you upload your photo, we design the canvas and print it. The clock on production only really moves once your photo is with us. We dispatch within 3 to 5 working days of receiving your photo, which covers designing, printing and packing the kit, and that already assumes your photo reaches us promptly rather than a few days later. After dispatch, UK delivery typically takes 5-7 working days, tracked and free on every order.

Ready-made kits skip the design and approval step entirely. We dispatch a standard design within 3-5 working days, then it follows the same 5-7 working day delivery window. That difference, roughly a working week either way, is why the order-by dates below are earlier for custom kits than for our standard designs.

Christmas order-by dates for 2026

These dates are built to get your kit delivered by Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December 2026. We have taken the slowest end of our stated dispatch and delivery windows and added a further working-day buffer on top, because December post is always busier than the rest of the year. Custom kits carry a little extra margin again, to allow for the photo-upload and design step.

If you are ordering close to one of these dates, message us before you check out and we will tell you honestly whether it will arrive in time. We would rather you knew than found out on the 23rd of December.

Royal Mail last posting dates for Christmas 2026

Royal Mail published its 2026 Christmas dates in October. These apply to anything you post yourself within the UK, such as a card or a small gift to go with the kit. Our order-by dates above are much earlier, because a kit has to be made and delivered before you can wrap it.

Source: Royal Mail's published inland last posting dates, checked on 22 October 2026. Royal Mail says these can change, so check its site if you are cutting it fine.

What the buffer is doing, and why it matters more in December

Our stated windows (5 working days to dispatch a custom kit, 3-5 for a ready-made one, then 5-7 working days in transit to the UK and US, 7-10 to Europe, or 10-14 working days everywhere else) are the same all year round. What changes in December is everything around them: couriers are handling far more parcels, and a small delay at any one point has less room to be absorbed before Christmas Day arrives regardless. The order-by dates above assume the slow end of every stage happening at once, plus a few extra working days on top, which is deliberately cautious. Order earlier than the date and you have slack if anything runs long. Order on the date and you are relying on nothing going wrong.

What if you miss the date?

If you are past the order-by date for a custom kit, a ready-made design is usually still worth checking, since it skips the photo and design step and may still make it depending on how close to Christmas you are. If both windows have closed, we would rather you knew than ordered anyway and were disappointed: message us with your postcode and the date you need it by, and we will give you a straight answer. Failing that, our Custom Paint By Numbers Kit and every design in our Christmas Gift Paint by Numbers Kits collection still make a good present to give in person after Christmas, with a card or a printed photo to open on the day itself, painted kit to follow.

The simplest answer is a Paint A Moment gift card, from £10 to £100. It is emailed straight after purchase, never expires, and the recipient can put it towards a custom kit from their own photo or any ready-made design once the rush is over.

Choosing what to order

For a gift with real meaning, the Custom Paint By Numbers Kit made from your own photo is worth planning ahead for. Our Christmas Gift Paint by Numbers Kits collection has our pick of the custom kit alongside the ready-made designs that make the best presents, sized and framed however suits the person you are buying for. If you want more ideas by occasion and recipient, our paint by numbers gift ideas guide covers pets, couples, parents and more.

Frequently asked questions

What is the last date to order a custom paint by numbers kit for Christmas?

For UK and US delivery, order by Tuesday 1 December 2026. For Europe, order by Thursday 26 November 2026. For everywhere else, order by Friday 20 November 2026. Both dates include a safety buffer on top of our stated dispatch and delivery times.

What is the last date to order a ready-made kit for Christmas?

Order by Thursday 3 December 2026 for the UK and US, Monday 30 November 2026 for Europe, or Tuesday 24 November 2026 everywhere else. Ready-made kits skip the photo upload and design step, so they can be ordered a little later than a custom kit.

What are Royal Mail's last posting dates for Christmas 2026?

Royal Mail's last posting dates for 2026 are Friday 18 December for 2nd Class, Saturday 19 December for Tracked 48, Monday 21 December for 1st Class and Tracked 24, and Wednesday 23 December for Special Delivery Guaranteed. They apply to things you post yourself. Our order-by dates above are earlier and do not depend on them: they are worked out from our own stated dispatch and delivery times with an added safety buffer.

What slows a custom kit down?

The photo is what holds it up. We cannot start until it is with us, so uploading it the same day you order keeps you on the timeline above. We dispatch within 3 to 5 working days of receiving it.

What happens if my kit arrives after Christmas?

If you have ordered by the dates above, that should not happen under our stated delivery windows. If you order later and are not sure, message us first with your postcode and date needed and we will tell you honestly whether it will make it, rather than let you find out on the day.

Can I get a Christmas kit delivered to a different address?

Yes. Choose "ship to a different address" at checkout and add a gift note in the cart. We keep the price off the packing slip so it is ready to give as-is.