December 4th - Tip of the day

When sending Christmas gifts via courier, your parcel should not be covered in gift wrap.

While we would all prefer to make a festive impression when our gifts are delivered, it’s not practical to put gift wrap around your outer packaging.

Not only is wrapping paper likely to get damaged in transit, but it makes your shipping labels more likely to detach. These are vitally important for identifying your shipment.

If you are sending a parcel abroad, customs officials may also need to open your parcel in order to inspect your goods, which means all of your hard gift-wrapping work undone.

By all means wrap any items inside the box. But don’t rely on gift wrap for protection. Always aim to have at least 5cm of cushioning between each item, and between the items and the inside wall of the box. Use bubble wrap, kraft paper or loose fill polystyrene for padding.

Your outer box should be made of sturdy corrugated cardboard.

For more information, see our parcel packaging guidelines.