DURING an average week the volume of mail delivered in Chester and the Wirral is 3.5m items.

But during the busiest week in December that figure soars to 4.6m.

So if you want your mail to reach its destination in time for the big day RoyalMail isrecommendingyoustick totheofficial lastpostingtimes,which are December 16 for second class and December 19 for first class.

For valuable or last minute Christmas gifts and cards Royal Mail's Special Delivery service is available with prices starting from £4.10, and has the recommended last posting date of Thursday December 21.

For sending wishes across the globe, Royal Mail's Airsure service takes mailfromtheUK onthefirstavailable flight to 28 countries worldwide.

It then receives priority handling abroad and items are electronically

tracked on their way to their destination. Prices start at £4.20 plus airmail postage.

The International Signed-For service means items are signed-for on delivery and receive a quick dispatch from the UK. Prices start at £3.50 plus airmail postage and the service is available to most countries worldwide.

Parcelforce Worldwide's time-guaranteed and express services, available to 225 countries worldwide, are for sending valuable and treasured items across the globe.

For latest posting dates, which vary depending on the destination, visit www.parcelforce.com. Parcelforce Worldwide offers a range of next day and express services.

UK postage prices are now based on the size of an item as well as its weight.

Mail is priced in three sizes, Letter, Large Letter and Packet. For more details, customers can visit www.royalmail.com/size, call our helpline 08457 740740 or ask at the Post Office.

For the vast majority of Christmas cards the Letter stamp applies - 32p first class or 23p second class up to 100g.

For larger cards with any dimension over 240mm long or 165mm wide or 5mm thick (about 9 inches by 6 inches or a generous A5) the Large Letter rate applies - 44p first class or 37p second class up to 100g.

Whensendingpresents peopleshouldbearin mind that compact heavier items are now generally cheaper to send and light but bulky items generally cost more to send.

Packet rate applies to items longer than 353mm or wider than 250mm or thicker than 25mm, or heavier than 750g. Rates start at £1 for first class.

To make it easier to post abroad, books of European or Worldwide stamps are available allowing you to send letters or cards up to 40g. They are on sale from most Post Office branches, and selected shops.

For information on the location of Post Office branches, opening hours, and details of the 170 products and services available at Post Office branches visit www.postoffice.co.uk or ring 08457 22 33 44.

Royal Mail will be Santa's biggest helper this year as it gears up to deliver special replies to children who write to him at his home in Reindeerland.

Children who send letters to his glittering grotto can get a free personal response from Father Christmas.

To make sure those letters find their way to Santa, he has his own personal postcode, SAN TA1.

Youngsters should post their letters as early as possible as they have a long way to go.

RoyalMailhelpsSanta workhiswaythrough his bumper mailbag and each year forwards around 750,000 letters to him.

Winter wish lists need to be sent to Father Christmas, Santa's Grotto, REINDEERLAND, SAN TA1. All letters need to have a stamp on and must include a return address.