When to Order a Christmas Dress So It Arrives in Time

If you want a Christmas dress from us on the tree-trimming photos and at Christmas dinner, order by November 12. Our dresses ship free and take 15 to 30 business days to reach you, so that date is our cutoff for knowing when to order a Christmas dress and still opening the box before December 25.

That number surprises people, so here is the math, what to do before you click "buy," and how to avoid the one thing that sinks most holiday dress orders: the wrong size with no time left to fix it.

When to order a Christmas dress: the real calendar

Business days skip weekends and holidays. Fifteen business days is about three weeks. Thirty business days is about six. If you order on November 12, the dress can land as early as the first days of December or as late as Christmas Eve week. Order in the first week of November and you have a comfortable buffer, even at the slow end of that range.

Here is how we would plan it if it were our own kids:

• Early November: measure, pick, order. This leaves room for a size swap if something is off.
• November 12: the last day we suggest ordering for Christmas delivery.
• After November 12: the dress may still arrive in time, but we can't promise it. Treat it as a New Year's or winter wedding dress that might make Christmas, not the other way around.

One more date worth knowing: if a family photo session is booked for early December, count back from that day instead of from Christmas. It is easy to book photos for the first weekend of December and forget the dress needs to be there first.

Measure before you order, not after

Our dresses are sized by height, not age. A tall four-year-old and a petite six-year-old can wear the same dress. Grab a tape measure, stand her against a door frame in socks, and mark the top of her head with a pencil. It takes two minutes and saves a lot of guessing.

• If she falls between two sizes, size up. A dress with a little room still looks sweet. A dress that's too short in the sleeves does not.
• For babies, go by length, and lean toward the bigger size if her birthday or a growth spurt is coming. A baby measured in early November will be bigger by Christmas morning.
• Buying as a gift and can't measure? Ask her mom for her height, or check the tag on a dress that fits her now.

We wrote a whole post on this if you're buying for a granddaughter or niece: how to size a holiday dress you're giving as a gift.

Why sizing matters more in November

We accept returns within 30 days if the dress is unworn with tags on. That part is easy. The hard part is the clock. If you order near the cutoff and the size is wrong, there may not be time for a new one to arrive before Christmas. Measuring first is the cheapest insurance you can buy.

Three dresses that are ready to order now

All three below are in stock in every listed size today.

For babies through big sisters: red plaid and candy cane

Our Christmas puff sleeve dress in red plaid, candy cane and star prints is the one we'd pick for a family with more than one girl. It comes in sizes from 0-3 months all the way up to 13-14 years, and in five prints: Red Plaid, Red Candy Cane, Green Candy Cane, Red Star and Green Star. It's $60. Picture a baby in Red Candy Cane on Grandma's lap next to her ten-year-old sister in the same print. That's the photo people frame.

Ordering for two or more girls? The code SISTERS15 takes 15% off when you buy two or more dresses.

For a dressier Christmas Eve: wine or red lace

The long sleeve lace and tulle dress in wine or red has a lace bodice, an open V-back and a floor-length tulle skirt. Long sleeves help on a cold night when the church or the restaurant door keeps opening. It runs from 80cm to 160cm in height and costs $65. It also comes in Pink, Light Pink, White and Purple if you're planning ahead for a winter wedding.

For the toddler who wants to sparkle

The pink sequin princess dress with ruffle sleeves is for the little one who will twirl in front of the tree until she's dizzy. Sizes run from 12-18 months to 5-6 years, and it's $80. Because of the sequins, keep an eye on the youngest ones while they wear it. If pink is her color, our pink dresses collection has more options.

If you're past the cutoff

We'd rather tell you straight than have you refreshing a tracking page on December 23. If it's after November 12:

• Order anyway if the dress is also for something after Christmas, like New Year's Eve, a January birthday or a winter wedding. Then a late arrival isn't a disappointment.
• Pick a simple Christmas outfit she already owns for the 25th, and save the new dress for the next family gathering.
• Don't pay extra anywhere for "rush" on a dress you haven't measured for. A fast dress in the wrong size is still the wrong size.

A quick checklist before you order

• Measure her height today, in socks.
• Check the date of your first holiday event, not just Christmas Day.
• Size up if she's in between.
• Order sisters' dresses in one go so you're not waiting on a second order.
• Keep the tags on until you've tried it on, in case you need to send it back.

Shipping is free on every order, and if this is your first order with us, the code WELCOME10 takes 10% off.