Articles · Gift ideas
Last-minute gifts you can still get before Christmas
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If Christmas is close and you are short a gift, you still have options. USPS says to ship Ground Advantage by December 17 and Priority Mail by December 18 for delivery before Christmas. After that, order for store pickup, or give a gift that arrives by email: an Audible membership, a cooking club or KiwiCo subscription with a printed card, or an experience. Nobody needs to know you bought it on December 23.
Most of us start December with a plan and end it with one kid, one teacher, or one aunt left on the list. This post is for that person.
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Christmas 2026 shipping deadlines
Christmas falls on a Friday this year. These are the last recommended days to ship for delivery before December 25.
| Carrier and service | Ship by |
|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage | Thursday, December 17 |
| USPS First-Class Mail | Thursday, December 17 |
| USPS Priority Mail | Friday, December 18 |
| USPS Priority Mail Express | Saturday, December 19 |
| UPS and FedEx two-day | Tuesday, December 22 |
| UPS and FedEx overnight | Wednesday, December 23, for Christmas Eve delivery |
The USPS dates come from the USPS holiday shipping page. The UPS and FedEx dates come from CBS News reporting on both carriers. These are recommended dates, not promises. Ship two or three days early if you can.
For Amazon orders, trust the delivery date at checkout, not a calendar. It changes by item and by ZIP code.
Gifts that arrive by email
These work up to Christmas morning. Print the confirmation, put it in a card, and wrap it with something small.
An Audible membership. Audible sells gift memberships for 1, 3, 6, or 12 months. Each month gives one credit for an audiobook they keep. It suits teens, grandparents, and anyone with a long commute. Send it by email or print the card.
A Raddish Kids cooking club. A monthly cooking kit for kids ages 4 to 14. Enter the child’s address and a gift note at checkout. Wrap a wooden spoon or a kid apron with the card.
A KiwiCo subscription or gift card. Gift subscriptions run 3, 6, or 12 months and end on their own. If the first crate will not arrive by Christmas, print a picture of it and wrap that.
An Education.com membership. Worksheets, games, and lessons for preschool through fifth grade. A good grandparent gift for a kid who loves to learn.
A Skillshare membership. Online classes in drawing, photography, design, and more. A good pick for the grown-ups and older teens on your list.
Order online, pick up today
Target and Walmart both offer free store pickup on a lot of toys and gifts. Order in the morning, pick it up after school. You can shop my picks in my LTK shop, which links to both stores.
Grocery stores and drugstores carry gift cards, board games, and puzzles. Not glamorous. Still a gift.
Experiences you can print
An experience takes no shipping at all. Print the tickets or write a card, and wrap it in a box.
A zoo or museum membership. Many places sell them online and email a receipt right away.
Lessons. Swim, skating, or music. Call the rec center or studio, pay, and print the receipt.
Tickets for two. A movie, a show, or a game with Mom or Dad.
My post on experience gifts for kids who have everything has more ideas and tips on how to wrap them.
Gifts you can make tonight
A coupon book. “One day with no chores.” “Pick the movie.” “Stay up 30 minutes late.” Kids will cash in every page.
A photo string display. String, clothespins, and printed photos from the drugstore photo counter.
A hot chocolate kit. A mug, cocoa, and marshmallows in a bag with a bow. My hot chocolate gift basket ideas post has the full list.
A free printable activity pack for the car ride to Grandma’s.
Last-minute picks at a glance
| Gift | How it arrives | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Audible membership | Email or printed card | Teens and grown-ups |
| Raddish cooking club | Email confirmation, kit by mail | Kids 4 to 14 |
| KiwiCo gift subscription | Email confirmation, crate by mail | Kids 0 to teen |
| Store pickup toy | Same day | Anyone on the list |
| Zoo or museum membership | Families | |
| Coupon book | Your kitchen table | Kids who love time with you |
What to skip
Paying more for overnight shipping than the gift costs. Buy something at a store instead.
A gift card with no plan. Pair it with a date. “A bookstore gift card and a trip to pick out a book together” feels like a gift. A card alone feels like an afterthought.
Panic buying. A rushed gift for the sake of a gift ends up in the closet. A handwritten card with a promise of a day together beats it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the last day to ship for Christmas 2026?
USPS recommends December 17 for Ground Advantage, December 18 for Priority Mail, and December 19 for Priority Mail Express. UPS and FedEx two-day shipping runs through December 22, and overnight through December 23 for Christmas Eve delivery.
What can I give that arrives by email?
Audible memberships, subscription boxes like KiwiCo and Raddish, online classes, gift cards, and memberships to zoos or museums. Print the confirmation and wrap it in a box.
How do I wrap a digital gift?
Print the confirmation or a picture of the gift. Put it in a box with one small item that goes with it, like headphones with an Audible membership or an apron with a cooking club.
Is it too late to order from Amazon for Christmas?
Check the delivery date shown at checkout for the item and your ZIP code. Many items ship in one or two days for Prime members. If the date says after Christmas, pick store pickup or an email gift instead.
More ideas: Christmas deals for moms doing all the shopping, stocking stuffers for toddlers, and the gift finder.
Still not sure? The gift finder picks gifts by age and what they love in three questions.
