21 best last-minute gifts that will arrive on time for the holidays
Waited a little too long to find the perfect gift? We rounded up options that should arrive quickly.
Alo Moves Gift Card
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Best for the foodie
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Below, I rounded up gift ideas across categories like skin care, tech, home and kitchen from brands we previously covered or ones NBC Select editors have tried and loved. I narrowed down picks to only products that have fast, expedited or overnight shipping (some with an added fee), or subscriptions and gift cards your loved one can receive at any time.
If your loved one wants to learn more about cooking, acting, writing, photography and beyond, a yearlong MasterClass membership can be a great way to heighten their knowledge. Designed for people of all skill levels, this streaming platform offers hundreds of video lessons taught by more than 180 pros. Each class includes 20 video lessons that average about 10 minutes and a workbook to help them track their progress. They can also watch lessons from a smartphone, personal computer, Apple TV and Fire TV streaming media players. Right now and for a limited time, MasterClass is offering two memberships for the price of one.
For the bibliophile in your life, a Book of the Month subscription can ensure they have a new book to dive into each month. You can choose from three subscription plans to gift: A three-book, six-book or 12-book membership that delivers a monthly book directly to your giftee. They’ll be able to choose from up to seven new book titles every month and select their favorite to receive.
One of our favorite fitness apps, Alo Moves is a great way for your loved one to exercise without needing to spend on a gym or studio membership. The app has an extensive library of on-demand classes that fall within four categories: yoga, meditation, pilates/barre and fitness (which includes strength training, HIIT and cardio-centered workouts). In addition to the type of exercise, they can browse by class length (some classes are less than 10 minutes long) and skill level.
This virtual cooking class can help your giftee learn new culinary skills while in the comfort of their home. The Table Less Traveled offers small classes of up to 15 people taught by chefs around the world, and you can interact with the instructors and ask them questions throughout the class, according to the service. If you aren’t sure which class will work with their schedule, you can buy them a gift certificate to redeem later.
Give them the gift of a relaxing spa experience with this SpaFinder gift card. You can fill the card with any amount between $25 and $500, and they can use it for thousands of locations across the U.S. A huge bonus: the gift card never expires. You can send a physical card or through email.
For the music lover in your life, Vinyl Me Please delivers a record to them every month. The subscription service presses a colorful vinyl record with music from multiple genres: “essentials”, jazz, blues, funk and soul, or hip-hop (depending on your giftee’s preferences). Your giftee can also choose to swap their monthly record for a different one if they want. You can gift them a 3-, 6- or 12-month subscription.
This monthly subscription is perfect for the coffee enthusiast. Each month, the service sends them single-origin coffees from different regions of the world. You can choose to send whole beans, ground beans or Keurig- or Nespresso-compatible pods, as well as a half bag (6 ounces), one bag or two bags of coffee every three, six or 12 months.
If your favorite person is a fan of delicious flavors with a kick, consider giving them a gift card to one of our favorite AAPI-owned brands. Known for its bestselling Sichuan Chili Crisp, Fly By Jing offers a variety of sauces inspired by Chinese flavors, as well as gift sets and pantry essentials.
If your giftee is a movie lover, or is simply looking for good date night options, consider this AMC Gift Card, which you can fill with $10, $25, $50 or $100. You can give them a physical card, or send a digital card.
The foodie in your life is sure to love Goldbelly, a curated market of food and meal kits from hundreds of vendors across the country. They can filter their choices by foods, specific regions, restaurants and more. If your loved one wants to try it all, consider Goldbelly’s monthly food subscriptions, which include subscriptions for pie, ice cream, barbecue, bacon and more.
Stitch Fix is an NBC Select editor-favorite personal styling service that lets your giftee receive clothes and accessories tailored to their specific style preferences and taste. They can choose to receive a box every 2-3 weeks, every month, every other month or every three months. You can load up the gift card with amounts ranging from $20 to $1,000. The service offers clothes in sizes XXS to XXL and in maternity, petite and plus sizing.
There are few things better than a delicious charcuterie spread delivered right to their door. This holiday-inspired one from Boarderie comes with a variety of meats and cheeses in three spread sizes: small (serves up to three people), medium (serves up to five people) and large (serves up to 10 people). The small box has 19 artisan cheeses, meats, dried fruit, chocolates, nuts and olives, along with a box of rosemary and olive oil crackers. Each spread comes with an acacia wood serving board and a bamboo cutlery kit for serving.
Baked by Melissa cupcakes are my go-to treat to send during a special occasion or holiday — they’re adorably bite-sized, beautifully crafted and delicious. The Holiday Cheer sampler comes with 25 cupcakes in four of the brand’s most popular holiday flavors: Christmas sugar cookie, vanilla fluff, snowcap and brookie (which is stuffed with cookie dough and topped with a blondie and nonpareils).
Delight your loved ones with these delicious chocolate-covered strawberries, which are another favorite of mine to send for any special occasion. You can choose to send a half dozen, full dozen or two dozen strawberries dipped in milk and white chocolate. If you want to be even more festive, Shari’s Berries has a holiday-inspired mix and a reindeer-decorated option.
This Cheryl’s Cookies gift box comes with 12 delicious buttercream-frosted cookies in the brand’s bestselling flavors, including classic vanilla, triple chocolate, butter pecan, key lime white chocolate and lemon burst. You can choose between same-day (in select areas when ordered before 1 p.m. ET) or next-day delivery.
BloomsyBox sends monthly blooms straight to your loved one’s door. The Bloomsy Original monthly plan delivers a hand-tied bouquet of 22 to 24 stems of seasonal flowers and arrives within five days of being picked, ensuring they’re fresh, according to the brand. The box also comes with plant food and an informational card. You can choose the month-to-month plan or a three-, six- or 12-month prepaid plan.
Spruce up your loved ones table decor with this winter-inspired bouquet that has flowers like mini gerber daisies, mini carnations, alstroemeria, delphiniums, veronica and greenery. It doesn’t come with a vase, but you can add one for an additional fee. Urban Stems offers next-day delivery on most orders placed before 3 p.m. ET, as well as same-day delivery in select cities. You can also choose to get double of this bouquet for an extra cost.
With The Bouqs subscription, you can send your loved one farm-fresh flowers directly to their door. Choose between three sizes of florals: grand (30-45 stems), deluxe (20-32 stems) and original (10-16 stems). You can choose to send bouquets weekly, every other week, monthly or every other month. Plus, there’s no shipping fee to worry about.
Like most options on this list, Teleflora offers a wide range of bouquets and centerpieces for the holiday season, many of which you can choose for same-day or next-day delivery (for an additional fee). Surprise your loved one with this unique, elegant tree bouquet, which has white roses, mini carnations and chrysanthemums. The tree comes neatly packaged in a gold mirrored cube.
This festive bouquet comes with a mix of warm pink and red stems, including roses, peonies, ruffled roseliles, fresh eucalyptus and evergreen foliage. Flowers arrive by Dec. 24 and ready for a vase — your giftee will just need to give them a quick trim once they unbox them.
FTD offers several holiday-themed bouquets and centerpieces, some of which include extras like desserts, candles and festive vases. The Joyful Greetings bouquet comes with roses, lilies and carnations. FTD offers same-day delivery for most orders placed before 3 p.m. ET, as well as next-day delivery.
I’m an updates editor at NBC Select who has rounded up gifts for a variety of loved ones, including moms, sisters and music lovers. For this guide, I researched dozens of products on the market and compiled highly rated and NBC Select staff-favorite gifts that have fast shipping.
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