The Christmas gift calendar: what to do when in 2026

Every year there is an evening in November when someone sits down at the kitchen table and starts a list. Names, with question marks beside them, and a date at the bottom of the page, underlined twice. The list itself isn't hard. What is hard is that we always start a little later than we meant to.

We think most of the Christmas preparations are a question not of money or ideas, but of time. So we have written down what is due when in 2026, from October to Christmas Eve. Not to rush you – but because once it is in the calendar, it turns out there is more time than it seems.

When should you start buying Christmas presents?

In October, at least in your head. This is the month for decisions: who we would like to give to, from what budget, and what still needs to be made. Anything made by hand, engraved or given a custom inscription needs time in small workshops, and those who get in touch now still have a choice.

This also covers anything that involves choosing – a photo book, a wall calendar, a framed picture. Choosing always takes longer than we think. And it covers anything going abroad: by early November, that should already be on its way.

When should you order corporate Christmas gifts?

If you want to hand them out to your team or partners in mid-December, it is worth placing the order by early November at the latest. With larger quantities, the headcount, the budget and the accompanying text all need approving, and within a company that rarely happens in a day. For larger corporate orders, we ask you to get in touch at least six weeks before the handover. We have gathered the prices and options on our corporate gifts page.

When should you order St Nicholas' Day gifts in 2026?

In 2026, 6 December falls on a Sunday, and it coincides with the second Sunday of Advent. So the boots are put in the window on Saturday evening, 5 December. If you are also preparing for a St Nicholas celebration at work or at school, it is worth asking in good time which day it will be held.

For a handmade gift, this means it is worth ordering by 10 November: it takes two to three weeks to make, and then there is the delivery. What to put in the boots, and why this particular day, we have described in detail in our piece on St Nicholas.

When are the Sundays of Advent in 2026?

The first Sunday of Advent in 2026 is 29 November, and the others are 6, 13 and 20 December. These four Sundays give December a good framework: you don't have to get everything done every week, just one thing at a time. If you are giving an Advent wreath, it needs to be in place before 29 November.

What we usually suggest is this: by the first Sunday, have most of the shopping done; by the second, the wrapping; by the third, the giving; and by the fourth, let nothing be left but the waiting.

If you choose in October, you choose from what you would like. If you choose in December, you choose from what is left.

How late can you order online and still have it arrive by Christmas?

Every year, courier companies publish how late you can send a parcel for it to be delivered before Christmas Eve. This date typically falls in the second half of December and changes from year to year, so it is always worth checking the exact date for that year with the courier in question. As the holiday approaches, more and more parcels are on the move; a day or two in reserve is not a waste at that point.

With a handmade gift, the courier is only the last step. What comes before is the workshop's time – and that cannot be hurried.

How much time does a handmade gift need?

With us, the GALAMBOM box takes two to three weeks to make, because every piece of gingerbread is made by hand at the Milimári Sütiműhely bakery in Budakeszi; with a custom accompanying text (for larger quantities, by individual agreement), three weeks. So for Christmas Eve, it is worth ordering by the end of November, or rather by mid-November with a custom text. Shipping starts in early November.

The Advent package contains 24 GALAMBOM boxes, one a day from 1 December to Christmas Eve; it costs €92.12. We ship it in November so that it arrives by the first Sunday of Advent. Within Hungary, parcel locker delivery is €3.33, free over €42.00; home delivery is €7.81, free over €84.00. To Austria and Germany, GLS home delivery is €36.37 for an order with the Advent package.

What should be left for the last week of December?

Whatever you don't have by then is a matter of shopping in person: at that point what counts is shop opening hours, not delivery times. It is also when you find out who you didn't think of. That is why it is worth keeping two or three neutral little gifts, wrapped in advance, at home – if they aren't needed, they will still be good next year.

The calendar isn't there to make us hurry, by the way. It is there so that on the afternoon of 24 December we are no longer looking at the list, but at the people we wrote it for.

Frequently asked questions

When is the first Sunday of Advent in 2026?

In 2026 the first Sunday of Advent falls on 29 November, and the other Sundays are 6, 13 and 20 December. Christmas Eve falls on a Thursday and Christmas Day on a Friday. If you are giving an Advent wreath or an Advent calendar, it needs to arrive before 29 November.

What day of the week is St Nicholas' Day in 2026?

In 2026, 6 December is a Sunday, and it coincides with the second Sunday of Advent. So the boots are put in the window on Saturday evening, 5 December. For a handmade gift, it is worth ordering by 10 November.

When should you place your corporate Christmas order?

If you want to hand the gifts out in mid-December, by early November at the latest. With larger quantities, approving the headcount, the budget and the accompanying text also takes time. For larger corporate orders, we ask you to get in touch at least six weeks before the handover.

How late can you order from an online shop for Christmas?

Courier companies publish their last recommended posting date every year; it typically falls in the second half of December and changes from year to year. With a handmade gift you also need to allow for the time it takes to make, so in that case it is worth ordering by the end of November.

How long does a GALAMBOM box take to make?

Two to three weeks, or three weeks with a custom accompanying text (available for larger quantities by individual agreement), because every piece is made by hand. Shipping starts in early November: within Hungary, parcel locker delivery is €3.33, free over €42.00; home delivery is €7.81, free over €84.00; to Austria and Germany, €22.37.

When will the Advent package arrive?

We ship it in November so that it arrives by the first Sunday of Advent, 29 November. The package contains 24 GALAMBOM boxes, one a day from 1 December to Christmas Eve, and costs €92.12.