30 December 2025

Santa’s Little Returners: First Christmas Day Parcel Return in Hatfield at 07:06

  • The first Christmas Day parcel was returned at a local convenience store in Hatfield at 07:06
  • Shortly after, festive returns were recorded in Batley (07:17) and Colchester (07:30)
  • Birmingham saw the highest number of returns on the day, with 50 parcels processed

 

Welwyn Garden City, 30 December 2025: Collect+, the leading Out-of-Home (OOH) parcel network from PayPoint, has announced the UK’s very first Christmas gift return of the season, which took place bright and early in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.


At 07:06 on Christmas morning, the first parcel was returned through a Collect+ store in Hatfield. Not long after, another early riser dropped off a return in Batley at 07:17, shortly followed by a return in Colchester at 07:30.


In the run up to Christmas local convenience stores have been flat out, helping shoppers send, pick up, and occasionally rethink gifts, as many used their local stores early in the morning or late at night, fitting parcel collections and returns around work and festive gatherings.


Christmas Day itself saw a flurry of festive returns, with Birmingham topping the list for the busiest return hotspot on Christmas day at more than 50 parcels. Hot on its heels were Redbridge (47), and Manchester (44), as shoppers across the UK swung by their local Collect+ stores to swap or return gifts.

The festive period is always a whirlwind for our retailers, with extended sales periods and online shopping surges creating a constant flow of deliveries and returns. But not every gift hits the mark, so while some wake up full of festive cheer, others are making early-morning trips to return presents that didn’t quite work out. Collect+ exists to make life a little easier during this busy period. We understand that the holidays can be hectic, and our goal is to ensure that whenever someone needs to send or return a parcel, there will be a local store nearby ready to help. It’s all about giving shoppers flexibility and the convenience of managing their parcels on their own schedule - even on Christmas Day.
Sam Holden, Director of Parcel Services at PayPoint

Collect+ operates the UK’s largest carrier-agnostic parcel network, with over 14,000 locations including newsagents, convenience stores, supermarkets and petrol stations. These stores offer parcel services in partnership with major couriers such as Royal Mail, DPD, InPost, DHL, and Yodel, as well as e-commerce giants like Amazon, eBay, and Vinted.

Top 10 Quickest Christmas Day Returns 

  1. 07:06    Hatfield
  2. 07:17    Batley
  3. 07:30    Colchester
  4. 07:52    Westcliff-on-Sea
  5. 08:06    Bracknell
  6. 08:09    Manchester
  7. 08:18    Birmingham
  8. 08:23    Shrewsbury
  9. 08:56    Bexhill-on-Sea
  10. 08:57    Brentwood

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