Sure, you just polished off the last of those Thanksgiving leftovers, but we have news for you: Holiday shipping deadlines to ensure Christmas gifts arrive by December 25th are approaching. FedEX, the U.S. Postal Service and UPS have released their holiday shipping deadlines. The key takeaway: the time to shop is now to make sure your holiday gifts arrive in time.
To help you better plan your own holiday shopping, we’re keeping track of the latest information from major retailers and shopping companies. Whenever we learn something new about 2023 holiday ordering deadlines and holiday shipping deadlines, we’ll share it here.
What’s more, we’ve also rounded up some of the top products to shop from retailers such as Amazon, Walmart and other retailers that not only make great gifts, but will get here just in time for Christmas. Plus, no matter how bad shipping problems get, procrastinators can always wait until the literal last minute with the help of gift cards.
Get all the info on key holiday shipping dates and pickup options you need to know below.
For more gift inspiration, check out our ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for all of the best gifts of 2023 for everyone on your list.
Cutoff Dates for Major Shipping Carriers
The last day to ship ground and for a low cost with FedEx is Dec. 14.
FedEx Ground Shipping Dates
- Ground Economy: Dec. 13
- Ground Contiguous US: Dec. 15 for 5-day shipping, Dec. 18 for 4-day shipping, Dec. 19 for 3-day shipping, Dec. 20 for 2-day shipping and Dec. 21 for 1-day shipping.
- Home Delivery Contiguous US: Dec. 15 for 5-day shipping, Dec. 18 for 4-day shipping, Dec. 20 for 3-day shipping, Dec. 21 for 2-day shipping and Dec. 22 for 1-day shipping.
FedEx Express Shipping Dates
- FedEx Express Same Day: Dec. 22
- FedEx Express Saver: Dec. 19
- 2Day & 2Day AM: Dec. 20
- FO*, PO*, SO, Extra Hours: Dec. 21 (or Dec. 22 with Saturday delivery selected)
- FedEx Express 1Day Freight: Dec. 21
- FedEx Express 2Day Freight: Dec. 20
- FedEx Express 3Day Freight: Dec. 19
- FedEx Freight Priority: Dec. 15
- FedEx Freight Economy: Dec. 12
- FedEx Freight Direct: Dec. 12
UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2023
UPS offers a calculator to determine how long or when shippers should ship out gifts or items.
UPS Domestic Shipping Dates
- UPS Ground Shipping: Varies
- UPS 3-Day Select: Dec. 19
- UPS 2-Day Air Services: Dec. 20
- UPS Next Day Air Services: Dec. 21
Operation Dates
- Normal pickup and delivery: Dec. 19-23
- Normal delivery service: Dec. 24
- No UPS pickup or delivery service: Dec. 26
- Normal pickup and delivery: Dec. 27-30
USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2023
USPS Holiday Shipping Dates for Contiguous U.S.
- USPS Ground Advantage: Dec. 16
- First-Class Mail Service: Dec. 16
- Priority Mail Service: Dec. 18
- Priority Mail Express Service: Dec. 20
USPS Holiday Shipping Dates for Alaska and Hawaii
- First-Class Mail Service: Dec. 17
- Priority Mail Service: Dec. 17
- Priority Mail Express Service: Dec. 21
- USPS Retail Ground Service: Dec. 2 (Alaska)
Shipping Options for Major Retailers
Amazon
Amazon offers fast, free and reliable shipping on millions of items with delivery until Christmas Eve (shoutout to those delivery people!). Here’s an estimated breakdown for free delivery before Christmas:
- Dec. 14: Last day to order items with free shipping.
- Dec. 22: Last day to order items with two-day shipping, free to Amazon Prime Members.
- Dec. 23: Last day to order more than 10 million items eligible for One-Day Delivery. This is free for Amazon Prime members with no minimum purchase.
- Dec. 24: Last day to order millions of items eligible for Same-Day Delivery (which is free for Prime members in eligible areas on orders over $35) and for free two-hour grocery delivery, exclusive to Prime members in select cities.
- Dec. 24: Whole Foods Market stores, Amazon Fresh stores, Amazon Books, Amazon 4-star and Amazon Pop-Up stores are open on Christmas Eve. (Store hours vary by location.)
- Dec. 25: For truly last-minute shoppers, give an Amazon eGift Card or Amazon Prime membership.
If you’re not an Amazon Prime member yet, sign up for a 30-day free trial.
Shop Our Amazon Gift Ideas:
JW PEI Gabbi Bag
Loved for its distinct minimalist ’90s vibe, the croissant-shaped bag was trending on social media for being seen on Gigi Hadid, Hailey Bieber, Emily Ratajkowski, Irina Shayk and Megan Fox.
Walmart
While the cutoff for ground delivery from Walmart is Dec. 16, Walmart offers two-day delivery on some items that — if ordered by Dec. 21 — should still arrive on time. There is a $35 order minimum for all delivery options unless you’re a Walmart+ member. Restrictions and fees may apply.
Shop Our Walmart Gift Picks:
Macy’s
For those who use the Macy’s credit card, shoppers receive free standard shipping with no purchase minimum. For everyone else, receive free standard shipping with $25 purchase. Premium, express, and same-day delivery options are available.
Shop Our Macy’s Gift Picks:
Sephora
The beauty retailer offers free standard 1-3 day shipping on orders of $50 and over, and no purchase minimum for Beauty Insiders. Two- and one-business-day shipping options are available as well.
Shop Our Sephora Gift Picks:
In-Store and Curbside Pickup
- Enter your zip code on the product or category page to see if an item is available for in-store or curbside pickup (they’ll bring your order out and place it in your car’s trunk) at the nearest store that same day or the next day. All pickup orders come with a free gift message, DIY gift kit, Nordstrom box packaging or signature gift wrap of your choice.
- Select “Pickup” to add the item to bag and check out when you’re ready. You’ll receive a confirmation email with instructions and pickup details. Your order will be held for seven days.
- Have your order shipped to the store by selecting “Shop to a Nordstrom Store” at checkout.
- Same-day and curbside pickup options. On the product page, select “Show delivery & pickup options” and enter your zip code to see if it’s available for pickup at the nearest Walmart location. Average wait time ranges from three to seven days, but select eligible products can be ready for pickup as soon as the same day.
- Once you purchase online, you’ll receive a confirmation email with the details. Associates will be outside the store to direct you to the pickup area and load the items into your car.
- Select Walmart stores offer a quieter shopping experience during specific times of the day. Check your local store for details.
- On the product page, choose the nearest Target store and select “Pick it up” for in-store pickup. Check out when you’re ready and your order will be available to pick up within four hours.
- Choose “Pick Up” at checkout and Macy’s will send a confirmation email when the order is ready for pickup within two hours if it’s ordered before 6 p.m. local time. Choose whether you’d like to pick up in-store or curbside.
- Reserve items online and pick them up in-store. On the product page, select “Reserve & Pick Up” to see availability at the nearest Sephora store. Add to basket to see reservation details. Sephora will send you an email notification to let you know when it’s ready for you to pick up and pay at the store. Look for the “Online Order Pickup” signs when you’re inside.
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