When to buy Three Kings (Reyes) presents so they arrive on time
Anything your child has asked for by its exact name, buy in November or the first week of December. Generic things can wait. For everything else, go by the delivery date on the product page, not the calendar.
There are two different risks, and they often get confused. One is that the present does not arrive before 24 December, for Father Christmas (Papá Noel), or 5 January, the eve of Reyes (Three Kings, 6 January). The other, more common with the toys of the moment, is that it sells out weeks earlier and is only left with third-party sellers at a different price.
Calendar for the 2026/27 season
| When | What to buy | The risk |
|---|---|---|
| November, before Black Friday | The main present from the letter, if you already have it | That the price drops afterwards. If that worries you, check it against the shop’s returns policy |
| Black Friday, Friday 27 November 2026, and the days around it | Big presents from well-known brands, which are the ones that go on offer | Buying things nobody asked for because they are reduced |
| 1 to 15 December | Everything still missing for Father Christmas, and the most requested items for Reyes | From here on, particular sizes, colours and models start to run out |
| The week before Christmas Eve | Only what has a guaranteed delivery date on the product page | Delivery delays on the busiest days |
| 26 December to 4 January | Small extras, books, generic things | Little choice left of what was in the adverts |
What sells out first
- The toy that appears in every advert and catalogue that year.
- Newly released building sets and those with fashionable licences.
- Specific models: a colour, a size of skates or bike, a character.
What is almost never out of stock: classic board games, books, craft materials and building sets from the permanent range. With those you can wait until December without any trouble.
Buying early is the norm
According to an October 2026 survey of 2,000 people by Amazon and Beruby, 76% bring their Christmas toy shopping forward. This figure comes from a shop that has an interest in you buying early, so take it as a pointer and not as an official statistic. Even so, it matches what you see every year: those who wait until the last week choose from what is left.
How to know whether it will arrive on time
There is no single cut-off date that applies to everything. It depends on the product, the seller and your postcode, and it changes from one day to the next.
- Check the estimated delivery date on the product page, with your address already selected.
- Check who sells it and who dispatches it. A third-party seller’s timings are not the shop’s.
- Look at the date again on the payment screen before confirming: that is the one that counts.
- If the date falls on 24 December or 5 January itself, assume it will not arrive. A day’s delay is normal in those weeks.
For Reyes, remember that the presents have to be in the house by the evening of the 5th, and that 1 January is a public holiday with no deliveries.
Where to hide them and other practical details
- Ask for the parcel to arrive without the original box on show if your child tends to answer the door. On Amazon, some products let you tick that option at checkout.
- Open the shipping box when it arrives and check that it is what you ordered and that nothing is missing. Finding out on the night of the 5th cannot be fixed.
- Buy the batteries at the same time. Many boxes do not include them.
Returns after Reyes
Buying in November raises a reasonable question: if I get it wrong, will I be able to return it in January? Amazon usually extends its returns window for purchases made during the Christmas season, but the dates change every year and do not apply in the same way to every seller. Check the current terms on Amazon before you buy, and keep the gift receipt.
If you do not have the letter yet, start with what to ask for at each age.
