In an ideal world, you’d be buttoned up and done with holiday shopping by early December at the latest. But sometimes life gets in the way, and you find yourself down to the wire looking for the perfect gifts to give your loved ones. If that sounds familiar, don’t stress: There are still a number of great holiday gifts you can order that will arrive in time.
Below, I rounded up gift cards, food gifts, floral arrangements and a handful of Amazon items that quickly ship with a Prime membership that are worth considering for any last- minute shopping you still have to do.
Related
Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.
Best last-minute gifts of 2025
Below, find gift ideas that will work for most people on your list. All of the gifts below come from NBC Select staff recommendations or highly rated items I have previously covered. Most importantly, everything selected ships within two days or less.
Best last-minute gift cards and subscriptions
Help someone celebrate their favorite memories with a gift card to Framebridge. The gift card can be used Your loved one can use this to frame just about anything, — including photos, art prints and even sports jersey or mementos like concert tickets and matchbooks. You also have the option of sending a physical card or digital card directly to their email.
If your giftee is a movie lover, consider an 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 to their email.
Thrive Market allows you to shop online for thousands of healthy food items, — including organic meats and non-GMO snacks. You have to be a member to shop the site, so this gift card gives your loved ones access to all of its delicious offerings. You also have the option of adding a bit more funds to the card so your recipient has some shopping credits to use on their first order.
If your loved one wants to learn more about cooking, acting, writing, photography and beyond, a year-long 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 each 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, annual memberships are up to 40% off for a limited time.
My brother is an avid traveller, so a few years ago I gave him a membership to Duolingo so he could brush up on his foreign language skills. He chose Italian and was amazed by how quickly he was able to pick up key phrases through the app. The giftable year-long membership gives you access to short lessons that make learning a new language feel more accomplishable. Users can choose to learn French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch and a number of other languages. You can personalize your e-gift card with a message and select when you want it emailed over to your recipient.
If you know someone who is super creative, consider gifting them a three-, six- or 12-month membership to Skillshare, — a digital community with thousands of classes on drawing, writing, dancing and more. Not only does a membership gain you access to these lessons, you can also chat with likeminded people within the community.
Best last-minute food gifts
This limited- edition popcorn mix has caramel corn and popcorn coated in milk and dark chocolate. The popcorn comes in a metal tin and you can choose between nine different designs and two sizes — (14 or 32 cups). Send the popcorn directly, or send it as an e-gift so your recipient can decide when they want it shipped to them.
A friend sent me soup from this company when I was going through a particularly busy time. It tasted amazing and came with a pretty silver ladle. With the Holiday Soup Package, your giftee will get two quarts of soup (which is about four to six servings) in one of five flavors, including chicken noodle, loaded baked potato and tomato basil. The package also comes with six dinner rolls and six cookies. The soups are flash frozen, and they’ll have to thaw them and reheat them before 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,” says NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio. 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).
Send a sweet treat for three, six or twelve months in a row with Goldbelly’s cookie subscription. Though the first box of cookies won’t arrive until after the holidays, your loved one will receive a special email informing them of the gift and you can add a personalized note as well. Each month, they’ll get enough cookies for six to eight people and from different bakeries around the country.
Send a sweet treat for three, six or twelve months in a row with Goldbelly’s cookie subscription. Though the first box of cookies won’t arrive until after the holidays, your loved one will receive a special email informing them of the gift and you can add a personalized note as well. Each month, they’ll get enough cookies for six to eight people from different bakeries around the country.
Best last-minute flower delivery gifts
Order this bouquet for delivery anytime between now and Dec. 24. The arrangement includes hydrangeas, white roses and Star of Bethlehem. The flowers arrive in a recyclable box and will likely still be in bud form — they’ll bloom in two to three days, according to the brand. The flowers come in a mason jar-like vase, but you can upgrade to other styles for an additional fee.
Add something sweet to your flower delivery with this combo, which includes red and white roses and carnations in a vase, plus a box of chocolate truffles.
Order before Dec. 22 and you can have this mini tree delivered to a loved one before the holidays. The mini European Cyprus tree comes in a cream ceramic pot and will look great on a bookshelf or desk. It also comes with a Christmas card.
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.
You know what’s nicer than one flower arrangement? Three. With this gift, you can have a new bouquet delivered every month for three months in a row. The bouquets will have 30 to 35 stems roses, calla lilies and more.
Best last-minute gifts from Amazon
At under $20, this budget-friendly Lego set is great for adults and kids 9 years and older. The 218-piece set allows you to build two small plants that would look great on a desk, nightstand or bookshelf. They can also combine it with other sets from Lego’s Botanicals line.
NBC Select tech reporter Harry Rabinowitz says these are some of the best budget-friendly earbuds you can find. They’d be a great gift for a teen or someone who is always listening to music or podcasts. Between the earbuds and the charging case, you get up to 32 hours of battery life. Rabinowitz also says the Bluetooth connection is strong.
One of our favorite sheet masks, the Biodance Bio-Collagen mask has oligo-hyaluronic acid, a hydrating ingredient that easily absorbs into the skin according to the brand. NBC Select editorial projects manager Rebecca Rodriguez is a fan, saying that her skin always stays hydrated for hours after using one.
While a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates may be a go-to gift for some, NBC Select prefers giving a nice bottle of olive oil — and Brightland makes some of our favorite options. This olive oil is a finishing oil, — which means it’s meant to be drizzled on foods that are already cooked, used in dressings or even added to hummus.
Pick up a bag of coffee to go with this French press and you’ve got a lovely gift for anyone who appreciates a little caffeine. While most French presses are made from glass, this one is made from stainless steel and has a double-wall vacuum-insulated interior to keep coffee hot as long as possible. NBC Select commerce editor Cory Fernandez tested and reviewed this coffee maker and confirms it keeps beverages hot, while also noting that it makes coffee on the stronger side.
Why trust NBC Select?
Bethany Heitman is a weekend editor at NBC Select who regularly covers topics like beauty, home and lifestyle. She’s written a number of gift guides — including one on practical gifts.
Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
