Huge piles of parcels have built up in some Royal Mail sorting offices as the service comes under unprecedented pressure and great lorry queues form at the country's ports.
This year the postal and courier system will deal with an estimated 200million more parcels than usual in the run up to Christmas.
The influx comes as online orders are expected to be up 50% compared to last year, as people shun the high street due to coronavirus risks and restrictions.
As the number of days until Christmas get fewer, the length of the lorry lines leading into the Port of Dover get longer. Trucks ladened with food and parcels destined for Brits have been forced to queue 20 miles back from Calais.