During the 2025 holiday season, you’ll want all your gifts to arrive at their destinations in time. We’ve put together a cheat sheet of all the holiday shipping deadlines from USPS, FedEx, Amazon, and more that we expect to see next year. Waiting until the very last minute to order gifts online can have serious consequences — both for your recipient and your wallet.
But doing your shopping at the last minute is nothing to be ashamed of — we’ve all been there. Unless you’ve already built up a good gift stockpile, most of us scramble for last-minute gifts almost every year (no matter how early we start shopping).
To help you avoid wasting money and late gift arrivals, here are KCL's predictions for the 2025 holiday shipping deadlines based on past cutoff dates.
If retailers and shipping carriers adjust their deadlines or announce delays, the deadlines may change for FedEx, USPS, UPS, and other specific stores on this list.
2025 Holidays
Hanukkah: Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025 - Monday, Dec. 22, 2025
Christmas: Thursday, Dec. 25
Kwanzaa: Friday, Dec. 26 - Thursday, Jan. 1, 2025
First off, should I expect holiday shipping delays?
YES. Ever since shipping delays first hit us during COVID-19, it’s like we can’t get back to those quick shipping turnaround times of 2019. But that’s okay — you’re going to plan ahead and shop accordingly.
The holiday shipping deadlines we’ll be covering here are just general guidelines for when to shop, but nothing is set in stone as far as the delays go. So shop as early as possible to avoid gifts or greeting cards arriving too late.
KCL predicts the absolute last day USPS shipping date for Christmas next year will be Dec. 20.
Although we don't know the specifics about the 2025 USPS holiday shipping schedule, you can expect a shipping deadline anywhere from Dec. 16 – 21. This will depend on the delivery speed you pay for and what state a package is being delivered to.
We predict these deadlines for the contiguous U.S states (not Alaska or Hawaii):
USPS Ground: Dec. 18
First-Class Mail: Dec. 18
Priority Mail: Dec. 19
Priority Mail Express: Dec. 21
If you’re shipping to Alaska or Hawaii, here are the 2025 dates you can anticipate for USPS holiday deadlines:
USPS Ground: Dec. 16
First-Class Mail: Dec. 18
Priority Mail: Dec. 19
Priority Mail Express: Dec. 20
For international territories, check out the holiday deadlines per country on USPS.com.
Look for UPS holiday shipping deadlines to fall on Dec. 19 – 23, 2025.
Peak season for UPS shipping starts around Nov. 13, which means after that date, some packages may take additional time (over three days) to arrive at their destinations.
Here are the domestic holiday shipping deadlines (their recommended “send by” dates) we predict you'll have to follow so your gifts arrive by Dec. 24 next year, according to their website:
UPS 3-Day Select: Dec. 19
UPS 2nd-Day Air: Dec. 20
UPS Next-Day Air: Dec. 23
KCL TIP: UPS has an online calculator to estimate when your package will arrive (and how much it’ll cost to ship) based on your location.
FedEx holiday shipping deadlines will likely run from Dec. 13 - 24, depending on which speed you pay for.
FedEx created a handy holiday shipping deadlines chart for each of their many delivery methods. If you’re shipping in the U.S. with FedEx, these are “send by” dates we recommend for gifts to arrive before or on Dec. 24, 2025.
FedEx Ground
FedEx Ground: Dec. 17 – 23 (depending on which shipping speed you select)
FedEx Ground Economy: Dec. 13
FedEx Express
FedEx Express Saver: Dec. 19
FedEx Express 3-Day Freight: Dec. 19
FedEx 2-Day: Dec. 20
FedEx Express 2-Day Freight: Dec. 20
FedEx Express 1-Day Freight: Dec. 23
FedEx Same Day: Dec. 24
For Alaska, Hawaii, and international territories, see the 2025 FedEx special shipping deadlines on FedEx.com. 0Note this chart won't be updated until sometime next year.
Your absolute last day to order from Kohl’s is Dec. 21 for delivery by Christmas Eve.
Kohl’s no longer guarantees delivery by Christmas with their Standard Shipping (3 - 8 business days), or for any of their deliveries in Alaska or Hawaii. However, if your items are eligible for expedited shipping, use these shipping cutoff dates we predict for 2025:
2-Day Shipping: 1 p.m. CT on Dec. 19
1-Day Shipping: 1 p.m. CT on Dec. 20
Regular Shipping: Dec. 17
Kohl’s also offers free store pickup. You can usually pick up in-stock items in two hours or less, but availability may be limited on Dec. 24.
If you’re in a time crunch, you can buy a Kohl’s eGift card, which gets instantly delivered to any email address. So you can order by 10 p.m. CT on Dec. 25, and your gift card will still arrive on Christmas Day.
Related: See last-minute Kohl’s deals.
Your last day to shop with Amazon Prime is Dec. 22 for gifts to arrive before Christmas (or Dec. 16 for non-Prime).
While Amazon Prime members can technically shop on Dec. 24 with Same-Day Delivery, availability isn’t guaranteed for all items, depending on your location (and it’s probably not worth the risk of your gifts arriving after Christmas).
Your best bet for last-minute Amazon shopping is to place your order by Dec. 22 with Prime 1-Day Delivery, or Dec. 21 with Prime 2-Day Delivery (this varies by location).
If you’re not an Amazon Prime member, you’ll get free standard shipping (which can take 5 - 8 days) on orders of $35 or more. You’ll need to order by Dec. 16 for standard delivery by Christmas.
Waited too long? You can order Amazon eGift cards or Amazon Prime Memberships on Dec. 25 for immediate arrival on Christmas Day.
Related: See last-minute Amazon deals.
Your last day to shop at Best Buy is Dec. 17 for gifts to arrive before Christmas.
Best Buy calculates shipping based on the "item, order, or weight" basis and shipping option you select at checkout. Based on previous years' shipping deadlines, we recommend shipping your holiday items no later than Dec. 17.
If your order is eligible for Next-Day Delivery, order by 10:30 a.m. CT local time on Dec. 23. If your order is eligible for Same-Day Delivery, order by noon local time on Dec. 24.
Best Buy also offers free store pickup. You can shop online as late as 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve to have gifts under the tree that night.
Related: See last-minute Best Buy deals.
Your last day to shop at Macy’s is Dec. 19 for delivery before Christmas.
We expect Macy’s holiday shipping deadline to be 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 19 for free Standard Shipping on orders of $25 or more. Order by 5 p.m. ET and get Premium Shipping.
If your order qualifies for Express Shipping, order by noon ET on Dec. 22.
If your order qualifies for Same-Day Delivery (select areas only), order by 10 a.m. local time on Dec. 24.
Macy’s also offers in-store and contact-free curbside pickup. Order by 3 p.m. local time on Dec. 24 (for items already in stock at your store).
Macy’s eGift cards are sent to you by email. You can order eGift cards by 1 p.m. ET on Dec. 24 for super fast delivery.
Related: See last-minute Macy’s deals.
Shop at Target.com on or before Dec. 19 for gifts before Christmas.
Target uses multiple shipping carriers (including FedEx and UPS) to deliver packages. Most packages arrive in one or two days.
Target’s holiday shipping deadline is typically at noon (local time of the shipping destination). We recommend shipping your Target item(s) no later than Dec. 19 for hundreds of thousands of items that are eligible for free 2-day shipping. Order cutoff times vary by zip code, so double-check your delivery estimate on Target.com.
If you’re a Target Circle Card holder, you get free 2-day shipping with no purchase minimum. If you don’t have a Circle Card, you’ll get free 2-day shipping only on orders of $35 or more.
Target also offers free same-day delivery in as little as one hour with Shipt. And there’s always the Target Drive Up service.
Related: See last-minute Target deals.
Walmart+ members should order by Dec. 19 (regular shoppers by Dec. 17) for delivery before Christmas.
If you’re a Walmart+ member, place your order by Dec. 20 for delivery before Christmas. Walmart+ members get unlimited free next-day and 2-day shipping on Walmart orders with no purchase minimum.
If you’re not a Walmart+ member, you’ll get free shipping on orders of $35 or more (for all shipping methods), and you should place your order by Dec. 17 to have gifts arrive by Dec. 25 with ground shipping.
Remember that Walmart also offers free curbside and store pickup. If you need something on the same day, look for items marked “Free Pickup Today” on Walmart.com.
Watch for Walmart to offer last-minute shoppers a chance to shop until Dec. 23 (12:30 p.m. local) for next-day delivery or until 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve for express (same-day) delivery.
Related: See last-minute Walmart deals.
Place your JCPenney orders by Dec. 16 for delivery by Christmas.
According to a couple of JCPenney’s customer service reps, their holiday shipping deadlines vary depending on the items, warehouse locations, etc. So we suggest you use a deadline of noon CT on Dec. 16, 2025 with Standard Delivery (which can take 3 – 5 days, not counting weekends). Standard Delivery is free on orders of $49 or more at JCPenney.
For faster shipping options, choose Expedited 3-Day, 2-Day, or 1-Day Shipping. But beware — the fees for expedited shipping can get pretty steep, up to $45.
JCPenney also offers same-day curbside and in-store pickup. You can pick up your order in as little as two hours, but waiting until Christmas Eve is ALWAYS a risk (no matter where you shop).
For a quick gift delivered the same day, order a JCPenney eGift card. It will get emailed to you within 12 hours.
Related: See all last-minute JCPenney deals.
Your last day to shop at Home Depot is Dec. 16 to get gifts before Christmas.
Like other retailers, Home Depot’s holiday shipping deadlines vary based on the item(s) shipped, weight, and location of the distribution center. Most orders qualify for free standard delivery on orders of $45 or more.
Even though Home Depot offers free 2-day shipping on eligible items, we recommend ordering as close to Dec. 16 as possible (even with expedited delivery).
Home Depot also offers free curbside pickup and in-store pickup. Some items qualify for store pickup in a matter of hours, but holiday delays could impact how quickly they’re able to fulfill those orders.
Related: See all last-minute Home Depot deals.
Lowe’s last-chance shipping deadline is Dec. 16 for delivery before Christmas.
Lowe’s holiday shipping times vary based on the distribution center that your item ships from. However, their standard delivery takes 1 - 7 days, so we recommend you ship items before Dec. 16, 2025. You’ll get free standard shipping on qualifying orders of $45 or more.
Free curbside and store pickup is also available, but be sure to wait for an email confirming your items are ready before you head to the store.
Related: See all last-minute Lowe’s deals.
We anticipate the Gap and Old Navy 2025 holiday shipping deadline will be Dec. 12.
Look for Gap and Old Navy’s holiday shipping deadline to fall on Dec. 12 for standard delivery (which takes 5 - 7 business days). If you’re a Core, Enthusiast, or Icon Rewards member, standard delivery is free on orders of $50 or more.
If your order is eligible for Priority Shipping, order by 1 p.m. ET on Dec. 19. Next Business Day Shipping is an extra $25.
Gap and Old Navy also offer curbside and in-store pickup. Order by 2 p.m. local time on Dec. 24 to pick up items in just two hours.
Related: See all last-minute Gap deals and Old Navy deals.
Place your L.L.Bean order by midnight, Dec. 19, for delivery by Christmas.
L.L.Bean’s holiday shipping deadline will likely be midnight on Dec. 19, 2025 for standard delivery. You’ll get free standard shipping on orders of $75 or more.
You can order L.L.Bean eGift cards for same-day delivery by email.
Select Apple products can be ordered as late as Dec. 21 for delivery by Christmas Eve.
The Christmas delivery deadline for Apple will vary depending on the item. Most Apple products should arrive by Christmas if you order them by Dec. 21 at 9 p.m. In most areas, in-stock items will be available for store pickup or 2-hour delivery as late as Dec. 24.
Sephora orders must be placed by Dec. 19 for standard shipping.
If you’re ordering a gift from Sephora, the cutoff date for standard shipping will likely be on Dec. 19, 2025 (6 a.m. ET.) Standard shipping (which takes 1 - 3 business days) is free for Beauty Insiders with no minimum purchase. For non-members, standard shipping is free with a $50 purchase (below that, the standard shipping fee is $6.95). Here's what we predict for their expedited services:
The last day for Flash 2-Day Shipping is Dec. 20 at 9 a.m. ET.
The cutoff for Flash 1-Day Shipping is Dec. 23 at 9 a.m. ET.
You can order a Sephora eGift card on Christmas Day and have it arrive the same day to the recipient’s email.
Personalized Etsy orders should be placed before the first week of December.
Etsy shipping deadlines will vary by seller. Each seller must follow the shipping deadlines set by their parcel services. Most sellers have listed their holiday cutoffs on their product pages, but for the most part, check the parcel service cutoff dates, and then factor in additional time for customization and creation.
For most Etsy gifts, you should order before the first week of December.
We predict Harry & David’s standard shipping deadline will be Dec. 16, but they have expedited options.
If you’re ordering a gourmet gift from Harry & David's, expect a Dec. 16 for their standard shipping option to have it delivered within four to seven business days.
On Dec. 19, look for 2-day Express to get your goodies delivered by Christmas.
For last-minute gifts, Harry & David offers overnight delivery, which cuts off on Dec. 23. Charges will apply for expedited shipping options.
Holiday shipping deadlines for other retailers we expect to see for the 2025 holiday season.
The following are the holiday shipping deadlines we predict for next year to ensure you get your gifts by Christmas in 2025.
Dec. 15: Billabong
Dec. 16: Petsmart
Dec. 17: AT&T
Dec. 17: Barnes & Noble
Dec. 17: Nordstrom Rack (5 o.m. PT)
Dec. 18: Crate & Barrel
Dec. 18: Dick's Sporting Goods (receive by Christmas or it's FREE)
Dec. 18: Michaels (by noon CT)
Dec. 18: Zales
Dec. 19: Kate Spade
Dec. 19: Madewell
Dec. 19: Michael Kors (by noon ET)
Dec. 19: The North Face
Dec. 20: Dillard's
Dec: 20: REI (by 9 a.m. PT)
Dec. 21: Dell
Dec. 22: lululemon
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