Sending a Christmas Gift to a Baby in Australia From Overseas

Christmas is the hardest time of year to live far from the little ones you love. Whether you're a grandparent in the UK, an aunty in Canada or a friend working abroad, you still want there to be something under the tree with your name on it.

The good news is that you don't need to post a parcel halfway around the world. You can order from an Australian gift company, have it personalised and delivered within Australia, and never set foot in a post office. Here's how to do it, and when to order so it arrives in time.

Why posting a Christmas parcel to Australia is the hard way

Sending a gift from overseas sounds simple until you try it in December.

• Deadlines come early. International Christmas post needs to be sent weeks ahead of domestic mail, and the deadlines often pass before most people have started shopping.
• Postage adds up. Sending even a small parcel to Australia can cost as much as the gift inside it.
• Customs can hold things up. Parcels arriving from overseas need customs forms and can be delayed at the border in the busiest month of the year.
• You can't see it arrive. If something goes missing, sorting it out from another country is slow and stressful.

Ordering from within Australia avoids all of this. Your gift is made here and travels by domestic post, so there are no customs forms, no import duties and no international postage.

How to order from overseas, step by step

Ordering from another country works the same way as ordering from down the road, with one extra step at checkout.

1. Choose your gift. Browse our personalised gift sets, blankets and soft toys, and add the baby's name for embroidery.
2. Enter the Australian delivery address. At checkout, put the family's Australian address in the shipping address section. This is where the gift will be sent.
3. Untick "Use shipping address as billing address". You'll find this box in the payment section of checkout. It's ticked by default, so make sure you untick it. This will allow you to add your international address.
4. Enter your own overseas address as the billing address. Simply put your international address, the one your card is registered to, into the billing address fields. This lets your payment go through.
5. Pay as usual. Prices are in Australian dollars, and your card provider converts the amount to your own currency automatically.

The step people miss: if you leave the box ticked, checkout uses the Australian delivery address as your billing address. That won't match your overseas card, and the payment can be declined. Unticking the box and adding your own address fixes it.

Because the gift goes straight to the family, add a complimentary hand-written gift card at checkout, available on most gift sets, so they know exactly who it's from.

Christmas gift ideas that travel well (because they don't have to)

When you can't be there in person, a personalised keepsake says you were thinking of them. All prices are in Australian dollars.

• A personalised baby blanket (from $59). Soft cotton, embroidered with bub's name, and light enough for an Australian summer Christmas. Shop personalised baby blankets
• A personalised bunny or teddy (from $39.95). A named soft toy to cuddle when you can't be there to do it yourself. Shop personalised soft toys
• A blanket and teddy gift set (from $120). Already matched and presented ready to give, so it arrives looking the part. Shop personalised baby gift sets
• A 5-piece gift set (from $155). A generous choice for grandparents, or for family overseas chipping in together. Shop personalised baby gift sets
• A twin gift set (from $199). A named keepsake for each baby. Shop twin baby sets

If this is the baby's very first Christmas, our guide to baby's first Christmas gift ideas has more ideas at every budget.

When to order for Christmas delivery

Every gift is personalised in our Perth embroidery studio, so it's made to order. To beat the Christmas rush, order at least two weeks before Christmas, by Friday 11 December.

A few timing tips for overseas buyers:

• We work on Perth time (AWST). Orders are processed Monday to Friday, so an order placed on your Friday evening may not be started until our Monday.
• Delivery is within Australia only. Standard delivery takes 3 to 10 business days after dispatch, and express takes 2 to 5.
• Regional addresses take longer. If the family lives outside a capital city, order a little earlier.
• Earlier is always better. Ordering in November means the gift is waiting well before the big day.

Sending a Christmas gift from overseas FAQs

Can I order if I don't live in Australia?

Yes. You can order from anywhere in the world, as long as the gift is being delivered to an Australian address.

My payment was declined. What went wrong?

The most common cause is the billing address. At checkout, untick "Use shipping address as billing address" and enter your own overseas address, the one your card is registered to. Then try again.

What currency will I be charged in?

Australian dollars. Your bank or card provider converts it to your local currency automatically.

Will the family have to pay customs or duties?

No. The gift is made and posted within Australia, so there are no customs forms, duties or border delays.

Can you deliver to me overseas instead?

Not at the moment. We currently deliver within Australia only.

How will they know it's from me?

Add a complimentary hand-written gift card at checkout, available on most gift sets, with your own message.

Close to their hearts, wherever you are

Distance doesn't have to mean missing out. A keepsake with their name on it, chosen by you and waiting under the tree on Christmas morning, is the next best thing to being there. For the full guide to gifting from abroad at any time of year, see sending a baby gift to Australia from overseas.