How far ahead should I order a gift to arrive on time?

About two weeks. A box takes 1 to 7 days in transit across Canada depending on where it is going, plus a day or two to pack, so the order-by day on each date leaves room for both.

Are Canadian gifting dates different from the US?

Mostly they match. The big exception is Thanksgiving: the second Monday of October in Canada, the fourth Thursday of November in the US. Mother's Day and Father's Day fall on the same Sundays in both.

Why do Eid and Diwali move every year?

They follow lunar calendars. Eid moves about eleven days earlier each year, and Diwali falls on the new moon of Kartika, usually in late October or November. Their dates can shift by a day with the moon sighting.

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The gift calendar

Next up in Canada: Hanukkah on Friday, December 4, Christmas on Friday, December 25 and New Year's Day on Friday, January 1. Every date below has the day I would order by, about two weeks ahead, so a gift lands with room to spare.

Each date, and a reminder on the day to order.

DECEMBER 2026

JANUARY 2027

New Year's DayFriday, January 1, 2027Order by Fri, Dec 18 See the New Year boxes

FEBRUARY 2027

MARCH 2027

APRIL 2027

Administrative Professionals DayWednesday, April 21, 2027Order by Wed, Apr 7 See the thank you boxes

MAY 2027

JUNE 2027

Father's DaySunday, June 20, 2027Order by Mon, Jun 7 See the Father's Day boxes

SEPTEMBER 2027

Grandparents DaySunday, September 12, 2027Order by Mon, Aug 30 See the thinking of you boxes

OCTOBER 2027

Christmas, by where the box is going

Christmas order-by dates, by where the box is going
Where it is going	Order by	Last call
Ontario and Quebec	Tuesday, December 15	Thursday, December 17
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Atlantic Canada	Wednesday, December 9	Friday, December 11
Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and remote addresses	Monday, November 30	None

These are the last days I would still ship for the 25th, not a promise. A box ordered on the date is packed the next business day.

Why the order-by day

I pack every box by hand and it spends 1 to 7 days in transit, depending on where in Canada it is going. The order-by day leaves room for both. It is when I would order, not a delivery promise, and you can pick a preferred date at checkout. Need the words too? What to write in the card.

Questions

How far ahead should I order a gift to arrive on time?: About two weeks. A box takes 1 to 7 days in transit across Canada depending on where it is going, plus a day or two to pack, so the order-by day on each date leaves room for both.
Are Canadian gifting dates different from the US?: Mostly they match. The big exception is Thanksgiving: the second Monday of October in Canada, the fourth Thursday of November in the US. Mother's Day and Father's Day fall on the same Sundays in both.
Why do Eid and Diwali move every year?: They follow lunar calendars. Eid moves about eleven days earlier each year, and Diwali falls on the new moon of Kartika, usually in late October or November. Their dates can shift by a day with the moon sighting.