When should I order a personalized book for Christmas or Hanukkah 2026?
Guides · By Inkling · Updated
With standard shipping, order a printed Inkling book by November 10 for the first night of Hanukkah (December 4) and by December 1 for Christmas. Paying for Express shipping moves those dates only to November 16 and December 8, because most of the wait is printing, not the post.
Order-by dates, US addresses
| Shipping speed | Hanukkah first night, Fri Dec 4 | Christmas Fri Dec 25 | Kwanzaa Sat Dec 26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (cheapest) | Tue Nov 10 | Tue Dec 1 | Tue Dec 1 |
| Ground (tracked) | Mon Nov 9 | Tue Dec 1 | Tue Dec 1 |
| Expedited | Thu Nov 12 | Fri Dec 4 | Fri Dec 4 |
| Express (fastest) | Mon Nov 16 | Tue Dec 8 | Tue Dec 8 |
Order by the end of the day shown. Hanukkah lasts eight nights, so a later order can still arrive for one of them.
Where the time goes
Every Inkling book is printed and bound to order by our print partner, Lulu, and then posted. When an order is placed, Lulu gives an estimated dispatch date and an estimated arrival window. These are the estimates for the print orders placed with us between June and August 2026:
| Ordered | Shipping | Printing (business days to dispatch) | In the post (business days) | Order to latest arrival (calendar days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 6 | Standard | 6 | 7 | 18 |
| Jun 17 | Standard | 5 | 7 | 16 |
| Jul 26 | Standard | 8 | 7 | 19 |
| Jul 30 | Standard | 5 | 7 | 18 |
| Aug 10 | Expedited | 6 | 2 | 10 |
Printing took 5 to 8 business days, whichever shipping speed was chosen. Standard post was 7 business days every time. So a faster speed can only shorten the second, smaller part of the wait.
How we worked out the dates
- Printing: the longest we have seen, 8 business days.
- Post: 7 business days for Standard (what we measured), and the top of the carrier's quoted range for the others: Ground 8, Expedited 5, Express 3.
- At least 2 extra business days of margin, because December is the carriers' busiest month. Christmas Standard has 3.
- Weekends, Thanksgiving (Nov 26) and Christmas Day are not counted as business days.
These are planning dates, not a guarantee. Our sample is five orders, all placed in summer, and the times are the estimates given at checkout. We will update this page with December figures as orders arrive. Outside the US, allow extra time.
Making the book takes minutes
You do not need to allow time for writing or drawing. You type your child’s name and add a photo if you like, and Inkling writes and illustrates the whole book while you wait. You can read it on screen before you order the hardcover, and the first book is free to make and preview.
See the Christmas book, the Hanukkah book, or our shipping policy.