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For Bookworms

 & Chandra Steele Senior Features Writer

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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You made your list, you checked it twice, and then you realized you forgot a gift. Or two. Or all of them. It happens to lots of us and if you want to feel better about it, remember that this holiday season has technically been shorter than most since Thanksgiving was so late in November this year.

But you're not here for a pep talk; you're here for solutions, and that's what we have. We rounded up some last-minute gift ideas that will let you still look like a thoughtful gift giver. Some of these gifts, like magnets personalized with favorite memories, can be picked up in less than 24 hours. Others announce themselves with an email and deliver year-round, like a few special subscriptions we love. And there are ones that you can get delivered right to your own door the day you order them, so you can just wrap them up and put them under the tree immediately. You're sure to find something suitable for anyone you're shopping for.

For Bookworms

Book of the Month Club - Gift

With a Book of the Month subscription, they'll get a choice of five to seven books each month from a carefully curated selection of literary fiction, contemporary fiction, thriller, romance, or young adult books. You can select from three, six, or 12 months and you can notify the recipient with either a card you can print at home, one that Book of the Month sends by mail, or an email.

For Home Chefs

Sur La Table Online Cooking Classes

Your loved one can take cooking classes at home with a gift of online cooking classes from Sur La Table. There are lessons for all levels and food preferences. You can also gift them in-store classes. Right now, there's a two-day croissant workshop and an entire menu of Italian winter favorites.

For the Sentimental

Walgreens Same-Day Pickup

If you're worried that last-minute gifts might seem impersonal, don't be. You can get photo books, canvas prints, magnets, and more with same-day photo print services at Walgreen's and CVS.

For Everyone on Your List

Target Same-Day With Shipt

Target offers same-day delivery on most days. Many items are available locally, and can be delivered to your house or the intended recipient in hours. Target uses Shipt, which offers free delivery with a Shipt membership or $9.99 per order.

For Gadget Lovers

Breo Box

The gadget lovers in your life will rush to open Breo Box. Each box comes with a selection of tech-centric finds. You can choose from two sizes: Lite, which comes with one to three items, and Plus which has four to eight. There are four boxes available per year (one each season) and you can send one or all.

For Classic Gifts

Macy's Same-Day With DoorDash

The mall parking lot is always a mess, but you can get a gift from Macy's without that hassle, as the store offers same-day delivery through DoorDash. Just do it soon!

For Kids of All Ages

KiwiCo Subscription Box

Whether the kiddo you're buying for is in nursery school or high school, there's a KiwiCo crate or subscription for them. KiwiCo's boxes come packed with art and science projects, and if you're not sure which to choose, you can enter the recipient's age and interests for suggestions. Once you order, your gift will ship in two to three days. Or you can send a gift card for them to choose their own.

For Prime Delivery

Amazon Same-Day Delivery Gifts

Depending on where they live, you can get a gift to them ASAP with Amazon Same-Day Delivery Gifts. There's lots to choose from, including this movie night popcorn kit that pairs perfectly with a Netflix gift card.

For the Curious

Uncommon Experiences

Uncommon Experiences lives up to its name by offering a huge variety of classes that they can take from home. They can paint their pet, make their own ring, compose a song, and more. And since it's all online, you don't have to wait around for any kind of delivery.

For the Beauty Enthusiast

Sephora Same-Day

Contrary to what you might think, Sephora offers way more than makeup—and lots of it is available for same-day delivery. You can choose from plenty of high-tech devices, including the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler that's our Editors' Choice, and of course, lots of low-tech but beautiful gifts.

For Anyone Who Amazons

Amazon eGift Card - Candy Canes (Animated)

A gift card for Amazon lets your loved one choose their own gift. The card can be delivered via email or text message, and you can add your own image or video to the gift to give it an extra dash of personalization and thoughtfulness.

For New Yorkers From Anywhere

The New Yorker - Gift

Send your loved one a subscription to The New Yorker (print-and-digital or digital-only), and you'll receive a tote for yourself. It's a present that gives back to you. Or I suppose you could embrace the Christmas spirit and give them the tote. The point is that you have options!

For Leaving a Legacy

Storyworth

Storyworth turns memories into books that can be handed down for generations. Each week for a year, your loved one will receive a question you've chosen per week by email. Their answers will then be gathered together and published in a hardcover book at the end of the year.

For the Cinephile

The Criterion Collection Gift Cards

You've seen tons of Criterion Closet picks on social media, and now is your chance to gift someone a piece of that experience. You can send them a digital gift card (or a mailed gift card if you have more time) for them to choose their own films from the collection or items from the gift shop, including a wooden version of its famous mobile Criterion Closet.

For a Holiday Feast

Door Dash Delivery

You might not be able to sit at a table together, but you can send over a holiday meal to someone using DoorDash. Using the DoorDash app (Android, iOS), you can order food, alcohol, and convenience items for your gift recipient. Just be sure to follow the best practices from DoorDash for a smooth process.

About Our Expert

Chandra Steele

Chandra Steele

Senior Features Writer

My Experience

My title is Senior Features Writer, which is a license to write about absolutely anything if I can connect it to technology (I can). I’ve been at PCMag since 2011 and have covered the surveillance state, vaccination cards, ghost guns, voting, ISIS, art, fashion, film, design, gender bias, and more. You might have seen me on TV talking about these topics or heard me on your commute home on the radio or a podcast. Or maybe you’ve just seen my Bernie meme

I strive to explain topics that you might come across in the news but not fully understand, such as NFTs and meme stocks. I’ve had the pleasure of talking tech with Jeff Goldblum, Ang Lee, and other celebrities who have brought a different perspective to it. I put great care into writing gift guides and am always touched by the notes I get from people who’ve used them to choose presents that have been well-received. Though I love that I get to write about the tech industry every day, it’s touched by gender, racial, and socioeconomic inequality and I try to bring these topics to light. 

Outside of PCMag, I write fiction, poetry, humor, and essays on culture.

My Areas of Expertise

  • Making incomprehensible tech news easy to understand
  • Expanding the boundaries of topics covered in the industry
  • Figuring out tips and tricks in apps and on devices and letting you know about them
  • Putting together gift guides for everyone in your life 

The Technology I Use

All that gadgets is gold for me: my iPhone 11 Pro, my fifth-generation iPad that I use only for streaming videos and music, my iPad mini 4 that I like to take with me whenever I carry a bag that can fit it, and my MacBook Pro. Why are they all different shades of gold, though? What’s going on, Apple? 

None of them quite live up to my two past loves: my LG Lotus LX600 phone and my Sony Walkman NW-E005 MP3 player. 

I've never given up wired earbuds so I was ahead of all those trend pieces. I use a Mangotek Lightning-to-3.5mm headphone jack adapter to connect them to my phone. 

I have had so many ebook readers, but I prefer paper to them all. Still, my Kindle Paperwhite is perfect for traveling or when I’m too impatient to wait for a book to be released in paperback.

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