The Procrastinators Guide to Christmas Gifts

Christmas is approaching fast, and if you’re on this page, you haven’t bought any gifts for anyone yet.

But hey, it happens to the best of us and best of all, it’s not too late!

A variety of gifts can be purchased and rush-shipped to you in time—be bought straight from the store from Dec. 20 through Christmas Day.

Here are our recommendations for procrastinators: the best places to get Christmas gifts last-minute.

Gift Cards

Order drop-dead date: Christmas Morning

An oldie but always a goodie, everyone loves getting money—especially if that money is to somewhere they love going.

Plus, since it is so late in the game, it may be best for you to just count your losses and pick up however many gift cards you need. You can even grab these bad boys Christmas morning on the way to the celebration and no one will ever know.

Grocery and department stores always have various displays set up making it super convenient to spin the display around and find something that will work for even the pickiest of people. For the coffee lover among your friends, Starbucks is always the way to go. For the handyman in your family, consider Lowes or Home Depot.

You even can get some gift cards online. Most stores allow you to get on their website, order a gift card and have it sent to you via email. You can then send that email to them on Christmas Day. Certain places allow you to customize the “card’ design, and others allow you to send a customized audio message as well.

Amazon

Order drop-dead date: Dec. 24

Anyone shopping on Amazon can choose two-day shipping to have their packages by Christmas, but you have to put in your order by Dec. 22. If you have Amazon Prime, then free two-day shipping is included in your membership.

For the complete last-minute person, you can put in an order by Dec. 24 for same-day delivery. If you’re a Prime member, you get free same-day shipping.

In-Store Pickup

Order drop-dead date: Dec. 23 or Dec. 24 (but you’re cutting it close!)

Ever popular these days, many stores, especially Target and Walmart, offer the option to buy your items online and then pick them up from the store. Target and Walmart offer two-hour windows for most of their items.

It would be best to order these items at least by the 23rd in case something needs to be shipped or it takes extra time to find your items. You also can do quick returns if something is scratched or damaged.

This option also can save you the cost of last-minute shipping fees!

FedEx, U.S. Postal Service

Shipping drop-dead date: Dec. 23

Both FedEx and the Postal Service allow you to ship items as late as Dec. 23 for your items to get there by Christmas.

Make sure to drop your package off as soon as possible though—because the sooner, the better. Also, ask to track your package. That way you can track it in real time and make sure it’s going to make it.

Retail Websites

Order drop-dead date: Dec. 21 or Dec. 22

When visiting most retail websites, many of them will display the last day you can order something to get it to you by Christmas. Certain places, specifically Target, offer same-day delivery for orders.

Make sure that when you place an order online you note the handling time on a package. It may say you’re paying extra money for a gift to get to you in two days but that’s two days after they handle and put together the package. So make sure the company has the capacity to get you your gift in time, or you’re paying extra money for nothing.

Procrastinators Unite!

We can’t all have it together when Christmas comes around. Since most people have done their Christmas shopping by now, it’s time for procrastinators to rally together and do what they do best—run around and pull everything together last-minute.

And seriously, if all else fails, just get the gift card.

Tags: Miscellaneous