Sending gifts for the holidays between the UK and Lithuania

The holiday calendar for UK and Lithuanian families

Families split between England and Lithuania often celebrate twice: Lithuanian traditions at home and British ones at school and work. In Lithuania, Christmas Eve, Kūčios, on 24 December is the most important family evening of the year. Easter brings painted eggs and family visits. Mother's Day in Lithuania falls on the first Sunday of May, while Mothering Sunday in the UK is in spring, a few weeks before Easter. Name days are celebrated too.

Each of these dates is a reason to send a parcel, and each one creates a busy period for transport between the two countries.

The good news is that the dates are known months in advance. A family that writes the key dates in the calendar in January rarely ends up paying for a rushed solution or watching a parcel arrive after the celebration is over.

Christmas: our busiest season

December is when the most parcels travel between the UK and Lithuania. Boxes of presents head east to grandparents, and boxes of Lithuanian treats for Kūčios head west to London, Peterborough and Birmingham. Schedules fill up quickly in the weeks before Christmas.

Our advice is simple: plan your Christmas parcels in November. Buy presents early, pack them in good time and book your collection as soon as you know the date. We will tell you the latest sensible collection date for delivery before the holidays when you book.

• Early November: make a list of who gets a parcel
• Mid November: buy and pack presents
• Late November: book collection
• December: we deliver to the door, in person

Easter, Mother's Day and birthdays

Easter moves every year, so check the date in January and plan backwards. Chocolate eggs and sweets travel well in spring, but avoid sending real decorated eggs, which are fragile and perishable. For Mother's Day, remember the different dates in the UK and Lithuania and book well before the one you are celebrating.

For birthdays and name days, booking about two weeks in advance gives comfortable time, as delivery usually takes 3 to 7 days after collection depending on the schedule.

Gift ideas that travel well

From the UK to Lithuania, popular gifts include English tea, biscuits and chocolate, children's clothes and toys, books in English for grandchildren learning the language, cosmetics and football shirts. From Lithuania to the UK, families send rye bread, honey, sweets, linen tablecloths, handmade woollens and children's books in Lithuanian.

Wrap presents in tissue paper inside the box rather than relying on decorative paper alone, which tears in transit. A small card inside with names helps the recipient know which present is for whom.

If you are sending to several households, consider one family box to the main address, for example to grandparents, with individually wrapped and named presents inside. It keeps the cost down and turns the opening of the box into a small family event.

What not to send as a gift

Some popular gifts are on our prohibited list. Alcohol and tobacco cannot travel in our parcels, so leave out the bottle of wine, bitters or cigarettes. Money, precious metal jewellery and prescription medicines are also not accepted. Food is allowed at the sender's responsibility, but our vans are not refrigerated, so avoid meat, dairy and anything perishable.

Gifts and customs

Gifts between private individuals crossing between the UK and the EU may have special customs treatment within certain limits. Describe the contents honestly and specifically when you book. For valuable presents, check the current official guidance and tell us if the total value of a parcel is above €500, so we can make sure it is covered properly under our terms.

Receiving gifts in the UK

Holiday parcels travel west as well. Parents and grandparents in Lithuania can book a collection from their own door and send presents and treats to you in England, at the same prices as parcels going the other way. If your family is not comfortable booking online, book it for them: enter their details as the sender and we will call them to arrange the collection.