Gransnet forums

Christmas

Late Mail From Oz?

(40 Posts)
Calendargirl Wed 22-Dec-21 13:15:24

Just wondered if any GN’ers with family in Australia are still awaiting their Christmas post from there?

Our postman has already been today, still nothing from DD over there. She posted her Christmas Mail weeks ago. Only 2 days left for it to arrive.

I know their post isn’t always great, she never received her brother’s birthday cards back in September.

It costs quite a bit to post cards to and from there, annoying if they don’t come. I know the pandemic certainly hasn’t helped, with staff shortages etc. Probably sat in a big pile awaiting delivery after Christmas.

Nannarose Wed 22-Dec-21 13:20:55

Yes, we have found Oz mail very delayed, in both directions. Last year we did e-cards; I wanted to return to snail mail, as it is my custom to send a small decoration for the tree or window. One has arrived, took 3 weeks, two others are still waiting. Ours haven't yet arrived.

Calendargirl Thu 23-Dec-21 11:40:24

Thanks for your reply Nannarose

Our cards have just arrived, am really pleased. It’s a photo of the whole family, haven’t seen them in real life for over 4 years.

sad

EllanVannin Thu 23-Dec-21 12:40:42

Had a card from Oz this morning. Face-time Christmas Day.

jaylucy Thu 23-Dec-21 12:44:47

I've had nothing so far but I think the problem is more likely to be this end with shortage of staff in many sorting offices around the country.
I have usually found that you can post a letter in Oz on a Friday and it's here the following Tuesday and in fact is often a lot quicker than posting something from one part of the UK to another - even first class post is no longer guaranteed to arrive the next day !

nandad Thu 23-Dec-21 12:47:50

Card arrived from Oz this morning, posted 22nd November.

FannyCornforth Thu 23-Dec-21 13:02:56

I agree with jaylucy, the Royal Mail here has been extremely slow

EllanVannin Thu 23-Dec-21 13:07:17

Digressing---I sent all cards second class, they all arrived at their destinations quicker than those I received this morning on a first class stamp ! Work that one out.

lemsip Thu 23-Dec-21 13:07:55

had a card from oz yeaterday....... it was a pretty little card showing sea and sand with a sparkly finish.

EllanVannin Thu 23-Dec-21 13:11:21

Another hilarious episode was when my step-daughter inadvertently put an ordinary first class stamp on her sister's card for Oz. It got there quicker than the one I'd sent via the post office where they have to be weighed etc. at a cost of over £3 ! Makes you think, but I did laugh about it.

FannyCornforth Thu 23-Dec-21 13:11:25

EV I have noticed that phenomenon too! smile

FannyCornforth Thu 23-Dec-21 13:11:56

The first v second class thing, that is

EllanVannin Thu 23-Dec-21 13:14:33

lemsip my card was a sparkly Christmas tree made up with all the different animals and a cockatoo on top of it. Lovely.

Visgir1 Thu 23-Dec-21 13:24:19

Posted parcel Air mail/ ins full monty to Australia 3rd Nov arrived in Australia 16th Dec. Think the Airmail was Pigeon Post?
Airmail parcel from Australia to us posted 22nd Nov arrived 21 st Dec.
So month plus. On the bright side they arrived.

Juliet27 Thu 23-Dec-21 13:35:55

I buy presents for family in Oz online through Australian companies…even Amazon.com.au…which is cheaper than posting goods from here…and quicker.

Deedaa Thu 23-Dec-21 13:36:57

EllanVannin not putting a stamp on has always been the quickest way to get a letter delivered in this country!

I haven't got any post coming from Oz but I see the card I got today from Italy was posted 12 days ago. Admittedly Italy's postal system is notorious.

dolphindaisy Thu 23-Dec-21 13:46:16

The problem with mail from OZ is because not many planes flying between the two countries these days, certainly not as many as BC (before Covid). I get round this by using the Moonpig Australia site, you only pay local postage.

Forsythia Tue 28-Dec-21 10:34:31

Posted cards to Australia at the end of November and They arrived 2 days before Christmas. Not good.

henetha Tue 28-Dec-21 10:36:45

I've received theirs, but they haven't received mine yet.
I posted it very early in December.

Yammy Tue 28-Dec-21 10:51:41

No mail from Oz but an email to apologise as they said everything was running late that was Victoria. No news at all from Queensland . I'm now wondering if mine got there now, for the first time I used a card company that posted from Oz as others have been so late.
The odd thing is when relis lived out east in old British colonies they got post nearly the next day just like us.

BlueBelle Tue 28-Dec-21 12:04:43

New Zealand is incredible slow I have to send birthday cards and presents at least a month if not five weeks ahead and that’s AIRMAI, to get there on time my family live just outside Auckland so not in the sticks but only get Mail two or three times a week
I m still awaiting christmas cards that I m told have been sent

H1954 Tue 28-Dec-21 12:08:40

Now, I'm wondering if Newcastle on Tyne has been uprooted and relocated in Australia? Been waiting on a letter from my bank for two weeks!

Calistemon Tue 28-Dec-21 12:46:57

Yammy I ordered a birthday card earlier in the year from an Australian site (Victoria to Queensland) and it took over 2 weeks to be delivered, after the event.

Parcels sent airmail earlier this year were held up at the Heathrow Cargo hub, one took 3 weeks to arrive, the other longer.

Australia Post is being restructured too and is in a mess, thousands of jobs have been lost, so I'm told.

Purpledaffodil Tue 28-Dec-21 18:00:45

I find this oddly reassuring. Sorry for the others who are awaiting overseas post but have had nothing from Oz, Singapore or New Zealand and nothing to say ours had arrived. Reminds me of last Christmas when our card to Canada using TouchNote arrived in April via India . ?

Happysexagenarian Wed 29-Dec-21 19:34:10

We're still waiting for cards that were posted from Oz in late October!