When you’re ordering gifts for loved ones during the busy holiday season, it’s important to know when to order and/or send them so that they arrive on time. That means ordering by a store's shipping deadline or dropping your package off with a shipping carrier before the holiday cutoff.
Thankfully, these days, there are more options for fast delivery than ever before. Many major merchants even offer same-day delivery. If you're willing to wait just a bit longer, Target and Walmart offer free two-day shipping on orders of $35 or more. Best Buy offers as soon as next-day shipping options, and Amazon Prime offers free one-day shipping on orders with no minimum to its Prime members.
To help you prep for all of your holiday gifting and self-gifting, we've created the ultimate reference on holiday shipping for 2023. Note that some stores may change their deadlines later in the season, so we'll be updating this guide accordingly.
Table of contents
- Christmas shipping deadlines
- Christmas military shipping deadlines
- Stores' Christmas shipping deadlines
- Hanukkah shipping deadlines
- Kwanzaa shipping deadlines
- Curbside pickup
Christmas 2023 shipping deadlines: FedEx, UPS and USPS
Christmas falls on a Monday this year, so you'll need to keep that in mind when mailing packages.
If you're mailing a package yourself, be sure you know the holiday timelines for FedEx, UPS and USPS. These dates are the absolute last ship-by date. If you want to play it extra safe, give your packages a few more days of wiggle room, to account for supply chain-related shipping delays.
You may be able to buy a little extra time if your carrier of choice provides weekend service. However, this incurs extra fees and may not be available in all areas. For more details, visit the carriers' holiday shipping pages: (FedEX, UPS and USPS).
A note on FedEx SameDay: FedEx offers this service 365 days a year, and it will get your package to your recipient the day you ship it, even on Christmas Day. Plan to shell out extra bucks for this service, however. FedEx SameDay is designed more for emergencies — not for gift procrastinators.
If you miss a carrier's deadline, Uber Connect could be an option. You can use the feature to dispatch an Uber driver to quickly deliver a package to someone on your gift list who lives near you. Assuming Uber Connect is available in your area, it might be a good way to avoid carriers altogether when sending gifts to loved ones near you.
Military shipping deadlines for Christmas 2023
If you need to send a gift to a loved one stationed at a military base, plan to ship much earlier. Shipping deadlines, as provided by USPS (the only carrier authorized to deliver to bases), vary by the base's ZIP code.
Note that it's important to address your shipping label correctly when shipping to military bases. Follow these instructions from USPS.
Store shipping deadlines for Christmas 2023
Ordering a gift online from your recipient's favorite store? Use our chart below to see whether it offers free shipping and check out the 2023 deadline for free shipping and expedited shipping options if you wait until the last minute.
These days, holiday shipping deadlines can be somewhat of a moving target. Some retailers aren't announcing general ship-by dates. Instead, many are providing real-time shipping estimates depending on the delivery address and the item you order, so you won't see your delivery date until checkout. Some retailers are currently not offering expedited shipping for the holidays, due to carrier restrictions.
How we calculated the shipping deadlines in the chart
For stores that have confirmed official shipping deadlines, we included those dates below (and have linked to the store pages referring to those deadlines). For the rest, we calculated a shipping deadline for Dec. 23 arrival, based on the retailers' normal shipping times posted on their website.
The dates in the chart below are subject to change as retailers announce shipping deadlines or announce delays. We'll be updating our chart as they do. Regardless, consider leaving yourself a buffer of a few extra days this year.
P.S. If you're planning to ship a gift directly from a retailer, be sure to check if it has a gift wrapping service. RetailMeNot has the ultimate guide, which includes cost and online availability.
| Store | Free shipping threshold | Free/Standard shipping deadline | Expedited shipping deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6pm | $100 | Dec. 15 | Dec. 21 (next-day shipping; fees apply) |
| Amazon | $35; free same-day, one-day or two-day for Prime | See delivery estimate at checkout for free economy shipping and free two-day shipping | Dec. 23 for one-day delivery (free for Prime members, no minimum). Dec. 24 for same-day delivery (available in select areas) |
| American Girl | $150+ | Dec. 11 | Dec. 20 |
| Apple Store | Free on most orders | Shipping deadline varies by item | Shipping deadline varies by item. Expedited shipping fees vary based on weight |
| Barnes and Noble | $40 | Dec. 17 by noon EST | Dec. 20 a.m. by 11:59 a.m. ET for expedited |
| Bass Pro Shops | $50 | Dec. 14 | Check website |
| Bath & Body Works | Only if code is available | Check website | Check website |
| Bed Bath & Beyond | Free Shipping | Check website | Check website |
| Belk | $99 | Dec. 18 | Dec. 21 for overnight (fees apply) |
| Best Buy | $35 | Dec. 20 by 10:30 a.m. CST | Dec. 24 by noon local for same-day |
| Cabela’s | $50 | Dec. 14 | Check website |
| Costco | $75 | See shipping estimate at checkout | See shipping estimate at checkout |
| Dell | Free standard on everything | Dec. 15 by 2 p.m. EST | Dec. 21 by 2 p.m. EST (next-day) |
| Dick’s Sporting Goods | $49+ | Check website | Check website |
| Esty | Varies by seller | Varies by seller | Varies by seller |
| Gap | $50 | Dec. 15 | Dec. 22 by 1 p.m. EST for priority shipping |
| Harry & David | Depends on promo | Dec. 18 for standard | Dec. 22 for overnight (fees apply) |
| Home Depot | Over $45 | Dec. 16 | Dec. 16 |
| JCPenney | $49+ | Dec. 15 | See website for options |
| Kohl’s | $50 | Dec. 19 by 1:00 p.m. CST (two-day shipping) | Dec. 20 by 1:00 p.m. CST for one-day shipping (fees apply) |
| L.L.Bean | $75 or more | Dec. 18 by midnight ET | Dec. 18 by midnight ET |
| Lowe’s | $45 | Dec. 14 | Check website |
| Macy’s | $49 | Dec. 21 by 5:00 p.m. EST | Dec. 22 by noon EST for express |
| Microsoft Store | Free expedited on everything | Check the website | Check the website |
| Nordstrom | Free standard on everything | Check the website | Check the website |
| Old Navy | $50 | Dec. 15 | Dec. 22 by 1 p.m. EST for priority shipping |
| Pottery Barn | Free standard on select items | Dec. 19 by 06:00 a.m. PST | Dec. 20 by 11:00 p.m. PST for next-day shipping |
| REI | $50 | See shipping estimate on the website | See shipping estimate on the website |
| Sam's Club | Free shipping on select items | Dec. 14 | Check the website |
| Sephora | $50, free shipping for Beauty Insiders | Dec. 19 by 6:00 a.m. EST | Dec. 21 by 9:00 a.m. for one-day shipping (fees apply) |
| Target | $35 | Dec. 22 | Check website |
| Ulta | $35 | TBA | TBA |
| Walmart | $35 for free two-day and free next day (eligible items) | Dec. 20 for non-Walmart+ members | Dec. 22 for next-day (Walmart+ members) |
Hanukkah 2023 shipping deadlines
The first night of Hanukkah is Dec. 7 this year, which is a Thursday. A few stores have announced Hanukkah shipping deadlines. For those that haven't announced specific deadlines, please check the retailer's shipping guarantees to see how long it takes to ship packages.
Kwanzaa 2023 shipping deadlines
The celebration of Kwanzaa begins on Dec. 26. Because Dec. 25 is a national holiday (and therefore a day on which all U.S. carriers cease shipping and delivery services), it won't be possible to receive your packages on that day. Plus, Sunday, Dec. 26 is not a regular shipping day for FedEx, UPS and USPS. So, for Kwanzaa, we suggest planning for delivery on Dec. 23 at the latest. In other words, use our Christmas deadlines above to ensure on-time Kwanzaa delivery.
In-store pickup options
Over the past few years, stores have been expanding their in-store pickup options — and that trend is here to stay. Heading into the holiday shopping season, several major retailers have announced that they will be providing shoppers with the option to get the orders via curbside pickup, in-store pickup and ship to store.
