Matching Christmas shirts only work if they arrive before the photo. Here is how long ours take, and the dates to order by for Christmas 2026.
The short answer
- North Pole Workshop family set: order by Friday, December 11, 2026.
- Personalized shirts: order by Wednesday, December 9, 2026.
- Family photo session before mid-December? Order at least two and a half weeks before the session.
How long each shirt takes
Every FirstWeft shirt is printed to order in the USA. For most pieces, printing takes 1 to 3 business days and delivery within the US another 2 to 5; the baby bodysuit and personalized shirts take a little longer. Here is the total for each piece:
| Item | Usually arrives within |
|---|---|
| Adult tees in the family set (Dad, Mom, Grandma, Grandpa) | 4 to 8 business days |
| Kids tee | 4 to 8 business days |
| Baby bodysuit | 6 to 9 business days |
| Personalized tees and baby bodysuit (Build Your Own Badge) | 5 to 10 business days |
Business days are Monday to Friday, not counting US holidays. An order placed on a Friday evening usually goes into production on Monday, and the Thanksgiving holiday (Thursday, November 26, 2026) adds a day or two in that week.
Why personalized shirts have an earlier date
A personalized shirt is printed with the job title you write yourself and takes a little longer to make, 5 to 10 business days, so its cutoff is two days earlier than the rest of the set.
Planning around a family photo
If a photographer is booked, count back from the session, not from Christmas. Ten business days is two full weeks, and a few extra days cover a weekend at the start and a slow delivery at the end. That is where the two and a half weeks above comes from.
- Order everyone's shirt together. The shirts are printed separately and may arrive in more than one package, but one order keeps them on the same timeline, and 2 or more items ship free in the US.
- Check sizes first. Each shirt is made for you, so it can't be returned for size. Our size guide has the measurements for every size, from 3 months to 3XL.
- Ship to where the photo happens. If the family is gathering at Grandma's, enter her address at checkout and the shirts go straight there.
- Leave room for winter weather. Storms can slow deliveries in some regions, so earlier is always safer.
After the cutoff
Orders placed after these dates are still printed and shipped as usual, but we can't promise they will arrive before December 25. Every order gets a tracking number by email as soon as it ships.
Ready to order? See the whole North Pole Workshop family set, or write your own title on Build Your Own Badge.