The key Christmas shopping and sale dates to know in 2026

Knowing when the sales happen in the run up to Christmas could save you some serious cash.

Retailers often run sales in the run up to December 25 and it can help you to plan your festive spending by noting the key dates in your diary.

Retailers including Amazon, Argos, Smyths as well as Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s are great places to pick up Christmas presents - but if you buy them at the wrong time, you’ll end up spending extra unnecessarily.

In this guide, I’ll explain when retailers have held sales in previous years and predict when they might happen in 2026.

I’ll also include useful information about Christmas posting dates and tips for buying presents, whatever your budget.

Sales dates for your diary

Below is a table of sale dates that are worth marking in your diary. Some are predicted dates and others have been confirmed.

Argos and Asda have already run half-price toy sales, but it's worth keeping an eye for other offers in the run up to Christmas.

As some of these dates are still predictions, I’d always recommend double-checking retailers’ own websites nearer the time to confirm exact start and end dates.

How to budget for Christmas present buying

If you’ve not already downloaded our Christmas savings challenge then now is the time to start.

Our downloadable savings tracker helps you save up enough cash to enjoy Christmas and we have tips on how to free up some of your spending to use towards festive fun.

Sit down and work out a realistic budget of how much you want to spend on presents and then work out how much you’d like to spend on each gift.

I would also recommend keeping note of which gifts you’ve bought and how much you’ve spent to avoid going over your budget.

When it comes to buying gifts, here’s a checklist to make sure you don’t overspend.

• Check our guide for key sale dates. Plan your shopping around the events, with predicted dates treated as a guide until retailers confirm them. Don’t forget to check our Deals page too.
• Set a total budget before you browse. Include wrapping paper, postage and delivery, then set a spending limit for each person.
• Make a list and stick to it. Decide who you’re buying for and what they’d actually like before the offers tempt you.
• Compare prices before buying. Just because it days it’s ‘half-price’ it doesn’t mean it’s the best deal. Check other shops and price history where available.
• Keep track of every purchase. Record what you’ve bought, who it’s for and what you spent - including presents tucked away earlier in the year.
• Don’t buy extras just to unlock an offer. Free delivery and three-for-two deals only help if you need everything in your basket.
• Agree limits with family and friends. Try Secret Santa, a price cap or buying just for the children.
• Pause before checking out. Ask: would I still want this if it wasn’t on sale, and can I afford it within my budget?
• Check returns deadlines and keep receipts. Make sure unwanted gifts can be returned after Christmas.

Christmas post deadlines

Royal Mail has confirmed its last posting dates for Christmas 2026. Here are the dates:

It’s also worth reading our guide to lost parcels too.