The holidays can be a hectic time, which means it’s likely that one or two people on your shopping list may have slipped your mind. Fortunately, there are plenty of thoughtful last-minute gift ideas that can be a good fit for every type of recipient — and that don’t make it seem like you threw something together at the last second. While the deadline to order some gifts and have them arrive in time for the holidays has already passed (many brands will list a cutoff date to order on their site), we’ve rounded up some of our favorite last-minute gift ideas that you can order today that should arrive in time for the holidays.
The best last-minute gifts this year
To help you find the best last-minute gifts for your loved ones, we’ve perused our expert-recommended shopping guides across skin care, tech, home appliances and more. We’ve also included a few staff picks and other highly rated products based on Select reader interest. We narrowed down our picks below to only those products whose retailers offer expedited shipping, either included with a subscription or available for an added fee.
Baked by Melissa Holiday Cheer Cupcakes
Baked by Melissa cupcakes are typically my go-to treat to send during a special occasion or holiday — they’re adorably bite-sized, beautifully crafted and delicious. The Holiday Cheer Cupcakes sampler comes with 25 of the brand’s most popular holiday flavors, including Christmas Sugar Cookie, Vanilla Fluff, Snowcap and Brookie (which is stuffed with cookie dough and topped with a blondie and nonpareils).
Anker Soundcore Motion+ Bluetooth Speaker
The Soundcore Motion+ Bluetooth Speaker, which we previously highlighted in our guide to Bluetooth speakers, boasts IPX7 water resistance and features USB-C connectivity for wider compatibility with chargers and other devices. You also have the option to pair two Motion+ devices together to amplify the sound as a makeshift stereo system, according to Anker.
“Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist”
For the book lover in your life, this cocktail book highlights 65 drink recipes inspired by famous novels throughout history. Each recipe includes witty literary-infused commentary and whimsical illustrations. You can also find suggestions on additional things to pair with your cocktail creations, including bar bites and drinking games.
Vitruvi Stone Diffuser
The Vitruvi Stone Diffuser is a Select staff favorite due to its sleek, ceramic design. The diffuser disperses an essential oil-infused mist in rooms up to 500 square feet and has a 7-hour runtime when used intermittently (or three hours straight), according to the brand. You have the option to purchase a variety of essential oils from the brand's site, but Vitruvi says you can also use any 100 percent pure essential oil with the device.
MasterClass Membership
If you have a giftee that 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, according to the service. Each class includes 20 video lessons that average about 10 minutes and a workbook to track your progress. Lessons can also be watched from a smartphone, personal computer, Apple TV and FireTV streaming media players, MasterClass says. Right now and for a limited time, MasterClass is offering two memberships for the price of one.
Bean Box Deluxe Coffee + Chocolate Tasting Box
For your coffee-obsessed loved ones, this gift set from Bean Box features eight bags of either whole bean or freshly ground coffee, along with eight chocolate bars to pair them with and tasting notes for each pairing. The 1.8-ounce bags of coffee in this box come from independent roasters across the country, according to Bean Box. If you’re looking to give a monthly subscription of coffee, Bean Box also has a couple of subscription plans to choose from.
COLORWORK DIY Paint by Numbers
Paint by Numbers is exactly what its name suggests: The picture is divided into numbered sections that correspond with specific paint colors, so you can create a beautiful painting without needing to put in as much of the effort. You can choose between six canvas designs, and each comes with a kit of three different-sized paintbrushes to fill in both big and small areas, the brand says.
KODAK Step Wireless Mobile Photo Mini Printer
This mini photo printer lets you print your pictures directly from your smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth, according to the brand. It’s small enough to bring on the go, has a rechargeable battery and prints 2-inch by 3-inch photos using Kodak's Zink photo paper that has a sticky back. You can also use the Kodak mobile app to create collages, use filters, personalize photos and more.
Hand & Stone Gift Card
Who wouldn't welcome a relaxing spa experience dedicated to improving their well-being? Hand & Stone offers facials, massages, Cryoskin and hair-removal services at over 400 locations across the U.S., and they're open seven days a week. Gift cards can be ordered online through the Hand & Stone website and sent same day.
Beats Studio Buds
The Beats Studio Buds offer both active noise cancellation and a “transparency mode,” which the brand says lets in ambient sound when you need it. Beats says the earbuds can provide up to 8 hours of listening time on a single charge (up to 24 hours when combined with the charging case), and they're IPX4-rated for sweat and water resistance. You can also use the on-ear controls to answer calls, play music, enable voice controls and more, according to the brand.
BloomsyBox Bloomsy Original
BloomsyBox can send 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, according to the brand, arrives within five days of being picked, ensuring they’re fresh. 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.
Dado 8-Inch Disco Ball Planter
For those who are fond of indoor plants, this disco ball pot comes with a chain and can be hung up around their home. Select associate updates editor Zoe Malin bought this planter for her apartment and said it’s one of her favorite pieces of home decor. Each planter also comes with a personalized note that tells you who packed it, according to the brand.
The Table Less Traveled Virtual Cooking Classes
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.
Dash Mini Maker Waffle Maker + Griddle
This waffle maker and griddle combo pack allows you to make a plethora of breakfast foods, from simple waffles and pancakes to hash browns and eggs, according to Dash. The devices each weigh around 1 pound and feature a nonstick surface and an indicator light that lets you know when it’s heated and ready for you to start cooking.
YETI Rambler 20-oz Tumbler
This durable tumbler from YETI is one of our picks for the best travel mugs because of its temperature retention and the magnetic slider on the lid for spill protection. The dishwasher-safe tumbler features a stainless-steel body with double-wall vacuum insulation and comes in more than 20 colors, including Ice Pink, Nordic Blue, Seafoam and Navy.
Wingspan Board Game
One of our favorite board games for adults, Wingspan caters to outdoor enthusiasts, bird lovers and anyone that appreciates beautiful and vibrant art. Designed for ages 14 and up, the game comes with over a hundred bird cards and centers on players attracting and hatching the most diverse bird collection.
Brightland The Artist Capsule
Brightland’s The Artist Capsule includes four infused cold-pressed olive oils: Ardor (infused with red chili peppers, jalapeño peppers, chipotle peppers and paprika), Rosette (infused with garlic), Lucid (infused with lemon) and Arise (infused with basil). Each olive oil is packaged in a 375-milliliter fully-recyclable glass bottle that has been UV-coated to protect the olive oil from damaging light, according to the brand.
Smartish Wallet Slayer Vol. 1 for iPhone 14
Smartish’s wallet case can hold cash and up to three cards, and it includes a built-in spring to ensure items are kept secure, according to the brand. This 2-in-1 wallet phone case is a Select staff favorite since it can help cut down on what you need to grab when you’re running out the door.
Bombas Gripper Slipper
These half slipper, half socks have a soft brushed lining on the inside to keep your loved ones' feet warm during cold months, while grips on the outside prevent slipping. They come in nine colorways for women and eight for men. These cozy slippers currently have a 4.6-star average rating from 12,349 reviews on its website.
Brieftons Vegetable Spiralizer
Help friends and family increase their veggie intake with this vegetable spiralizer that can turn apples, carrots, zucchini, squash and more into low-carb noodles, the brand says. It comes with five Japanese stainless-steel blades, along with a blade caddy for safe storage.
BalanceFrom Yoga Mat
The BalanceFrom Yoga Mat can be a good gift for someone looking to get more into fitness and yoga. Select writer Rebecca Rodriguez recommended this mat in our staff sleep aids roundup and said she uses it during her pre-bedtime and morning yoga sessions. The BalanceFrom mat is 71 inches long and has a double-sided nonslip surface. You can choose from multiple colors, including Purple, Green, Pink and Blue.
Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
If your gift recipient loves to cook, this 6-quart Dutch oven from Lodge is made of durable cast iron with a chip-resistant, porcelain-enamel finish, according to the brand. Stefano Veila, owner of the blog Pala Pizza and former chef, called this a more affordable alternative to the popular Le Creuset Dutch oven in our guide to Dutch ovens and noted that the heavy lid “is excellent for braising meats and keeping the heat and liquids in.” This Lodge Dutch oven comes in a variety of colors, including Desert Sage and Pumpkin Orange.
Mikasa Cheers White Wine Glasses
This set of four wine glasses has unique designs and patterns to spruce up any glassware collection. Each stemmed glass can hold 16 ounces of your drink of choice, and they’re all dishwasher-safe.
Book of the Month Subscription Box
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 between 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.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
Several Select staffers are fans of this Laneige lip mask for its sweet scent and hydrating formula. A great product for avoiding dry, chapped lips in the winter, according to the staffers who've used it, this lip mask comes in scents like Vanilla and Pumpkin Spice. Dr. Annie Chiu, a board-certified cosmetic and general dermatologist, recommended it in our guide to lip masks, noting that the formula is “rich in antioxidants and hyaluronic acid.”
Baloo Living Weighted Blanket
One of our favorite weighted blankets, this pick from Baloo Living comes in various sizes, ranging from a mini 9-pound version to a 25-pound option sized for a king or California king mattress. The blanket is made with a 100 percent cotton exterior and interior, and it’s both machine-washable and dryer-safe, according to the brand (although it recommends using a commercial washing machine for the largest, 25-pound blanket). Available in colors like Pebble White and Silver Sage, the blanket also features small loops at the sides and corners to connect to a duvet cover.
Tea Drop Sampler
This sampler comes with sweetened tea drops in a variety of fun shapes that dissolve directly in hot water, according to the seller. The sampler set includes a total of 25 drops in flavors like blueberry acai and sweet peppermint, and the tea drops come in a reusable wooden box to keep them safely stored.
Burt’s Bees Classics Set
This gift set from Burt’s Bees comes with six travel-size products, including a cuticle cream, hand salve and repair cream, moisturizing ointment, foot cream and lip balm. The brand says its products are formulated with responsibly sourced ingredients and without parabens and phthalates.
Brooklinen Pure Wool Throw Blanket
To help loved ones survive the colder months, consider gifting this wool throw blanket from Select-reader favorite brand Brooklinen. Made from 100 percent pure wool, this soft blanket is offered in two colors: Latte and Greige. If the blanket doesn’t live up to your standards, the brand says it will let you return or exchange the product if it’s within their one-year warranty period.
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