When to order the printed book for Christmas

When should I order a printed book to give at Christmas? The honest answer is: as early as possible, with some margin. The book is produced to order and shipped after it is approved, and the Christmas season is the busiest for printers and postal services. In this article we give a realistic timeline, explain what takes time and where, and suggest alternatives for anyone already running out of time.

What takes time, step by step

1. 1Preparing the book: choosing the photographs, the theme, the names and the dedication. You can do it in a few minutes, but it is better not to rush.
2. 2Generating and reviewing: after payment, the book is created and you can ask for up to 2 free revisions. Each revision takes some time to process.
3. 3Approving: the book only goes to print after you approve it.
4. 4Printing and shipping: the printed book is delivered in 6 to 10 business days (6 to 15 in the Azores and Madeira), in any of the 12 countries we deliver to.

Adding up the four phases, it is prudent to count on at least two to three weeks between the start and arrival, and more in December. These times are indicative: what applies to your order is what appears at checkout and in your account.

A suggested timeline

Why December is riskier

In December, postal services and carriers have far more parcels than usual, and any small delay can make the difference between arriving before or after the 25th. We don't promise delivery by Christmas for orders placed right up against the date, because transport doesn't depend only on us. So if the date is fixed, plan ahead.

What if you are already out of time?

• Give the eBook, for €10: it is available to download right after approval and can be sent by email on the right day.
• Print the first page at home and wrap it as a gift, announcing that the printed book arrives later.
• Agree with the person on a delivery date for the physical book in January, with a friendly message on the Christmas card.

Books for other countries

We deliver the printed book to 12 countries: Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Austria, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. Shipping depends on the country (€5.99 for the first book in most of them, €9.99 in Sweden and Denmark) and is always shown before you pay. If the person lives in another country, the solution is to send the eBook by email and leave the printed book for a future visit. The book can be generated in 14 languages, which helps if the family is spread across several countries.

Several books in the same purchase

If you are giving books to several people, the 2nd book in the same purchase gets 20% off and the shipping for additional books is lower than for the first. It is best to pay for everything at once and approve the books as soon as they are ready, so that each one goes into production as early as possible. Each physical book is produced and shipped separately.

What to do while you wait

After you approve, you receive a confirmation email and, when the order is dispatched, the tracking code, which also appears in your account with the estimated delivery date. In that interval you can prepare the wrapping, write the card and, if the book is for a child, agree with the family on the mument to open it. If the tracking shows no progress for several days, write to us so we can investigate with the carrier.

Mistakes to avoid

• Leaving the order for the last week of November or for December.
• Approving the book without checking the spelling of the names: once printed it can't be corrected.
• Forgetting that the book goes to the address on the purchase, not that of the recipient: confirm the address before paying.
• Counting on an exact delivery date with no margin.

In short

To have the printed book in time for Christmas, start in September or October and approve as early as possible. Count on two to three weeks, and more in December. If time is tight, the eBook is an immediate solution. Try the free preview and decide after you see the result.