Christmas Deals

Shopping December 20–25: What's Still Available

If you are reading this in the week before Christmas, the landscape looks different from what it was on Black Friday. Standard shipping is unreliable or unavailable for Christmas arrival at most retailers. Inventory in the most popular categories has been depleted. But the window is not closed — it just requires a different playbook.

The retailers and product categories that remain viable in the final week share one characteristic: they can put the gift in your hands before December 25 without relying on a shipping carrier. In-store pickup, same-day delivery in major metros, and digital delivery are the three mechanisms that actually work between December 20 and December 24.

What Works in the Final Week

Digital Gifts: No Deadline Problem

Gift cards and digital purchases are the cleanest last-minute option. Amazon, Apple, and Google Play gift cards deliver instantly to an email address. Gaming subscriptions — PlayStation Plus, Xbox Game Pass, Nintendo Switch Online — are purchasable digitally and redeemable immediately. Digital game codes on Steam, Epic, or platform storefronts are available at the same holiday sale prices that have been running since Black Friday. For a gaming recipient, a digital game or a year of their platform's subscription service is a practical, deadline-proof gift that carries real value.

Streaming service subscriptions — Max, Paramount Plus, Peacock — also frequently run holiday promotions in December. These make low-effort, well-received gifts for entertainment-oriented recipients.

Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store

In-store pickup is the most reliable fulfillment method in the final week. Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Macy's, and most major retailers support it with same-day or next-day availability on in-stock items. The workflow: find what you want online, confirm it is in stock at your local store, purchase online, and pick it up. You get the online price without the shipping dependency.

Jewelry is the category where in-store shopping retains its strongest advantage. Physical jewelry stores are fully staffed for the pre-Christmas rush and carry their deepest December promotions in the final week. Same-day in-store purchase is the standard mode for fine jewelry, and there is no shipping uncertainty. Retailers including Kay, Zales, and Jared typically run their most aggressive December promotions between December 20 and December 24. See the Best Time to Buy Jewelry guide for context.

Electronics Still Available In-Store

TVs, laptops, and tablets that did not sell out during Black Friday are still on shelves in the final week, often at prices that match or approach November promotional pricing. Best Buy and Walmart are the best sources for checking in-store inventory on electronics. Models that were not the headline Black Friday deals tend to have the best availability — the door-buster items sold out weeks ago, but solid mid-tier options often remain. Confirm stock at your specific location before making the trip. Best Time to Buy a TV.

Clothing and Accessories In-Store

Department stores run some of their deepest December promotions in the final week, driven by the need to clear remaining holiday inventory before the post-Christmas clearance resets the floor. Macy's, Nordstrom Rack, and similar retailers stack discounts in the December 20–24 window. The caveat: selection has been depleted for six weeks. This works best for gifts where size and specific style matter less than the category — a scarf, gloves, or a gift card to the store itself are practical fallbacks when specific inventory is unavailable.

If Time Has Run Out

Gift cards are underrated as a last resort. A well-chosen gift card — to REI for an outdoor enthusiast, to B&H Photo for a photographer, to a favorite restaurant — is more thoughtful than a generic option and delivers instantly with no shipping risk. Pair a gift card with a handwritten note explaining why you chose that particular retailer and it reads as intentional, not last-minute.

Note: December 26 begins one of the best buying windows on the retail calendar. If a recipient would genuinely prefer to choose for themselves, some gifts are worth deferring a day to access after-Christmas clearance pricing — particularly on electronics, clothing, and home goods.