If you care about price, selection, or your sanity, these are the dates to circle
December 3, 2025
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NowDec. 12: Sweet spot for real deals and full size/color selection, especially on tech and winter apparel, with calmer midweek crowds
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Dec. 14 (Free Shipping Day): Prime time to finish online shopping with free shipping and guaranteed-by-Christmas delivery from tons of retailers
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Dec. 2024: Best for true last-minute gifts and some dcor clearance, but expect bigger crowds, thinner selection, and fewer real bargains
If you decided to spend time with family on Black Friday, and maybe ignored Cyber Monday altogether, I got some good news for you. Retailers have stretched Black Friday into an entire season, and there are some upcoming shopping days that easily rival the hype of this past weekend when it comes to finding real deals.
Below is a look at the best remaining days to shop before Christmas 2025, and what each date is actually good for in terms of savings.
Now through Friday, December 5: leftover Cyber without all the hype
The week immediately after Cyber Monday is often overlooked. Big retailers have already blasted through their biggest marketing tricks, but many of the same discounts quietly linger online.
Retailers nowcreeptowards Black Friday week and Cyber Week promotions rather than one-day-only events. Adobe and other trackers reported record Black Friday online sales and continued strong traffic through the weekend as deals stretched across multiple days.
What this window is good for:
- Electronics and tech accessories that were on sale for Cyber Monday.
- Winter apparel and shoes while common sizes and colors are still in stock.
- Household items and small appliances that dont depend on deep holiday markdowns.
If you want close-to-Cyber prices and decent selection, this is one of the calmer times to shop online or in-store.
Monday, December 8: Green Monday
The second Monday in December has quietly become one of the biggest online shopping days of the year, known in the industry as Green Monday.
It was coined Green Monday by eBay in the mid-2000s after seeing consistently high sales on that date. Not to be confused with deals specifically on environmentally-friendly products, its actually a play on online shopping being more eco-friendly than driving to brick-and-mortar stores.
Green Monday mainly matters because:
- Its a little over 2 weeks before Christmas, making it the time when websites often start to move items at a discount and it still gives shoppers plenty of time to get gifts delivered by Christmas Eve.
- Many retailers roll out another round of online promotions specifically to catch shoppers who missed Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
What to target on December 8:
- Consider this the last good chance to shop for popular toys and kid gifts that may sell out closer to Christmas.
- Youll find deals on mid-tier electronics, headphones, tablets, and even gaming accessories.
- Ive also found that its a great day to find savings on home and kitchen gifts, especially when shopping online.
Pro tip:Use Green Monday as your revenge shopping day. Take everything you almost bought on Black Friday, put them in a wishlist, then on December 8th only pull the trigger if (1) the price actually dropped, (2) theres a sitewide code, and (3) you can stack cash back with your purchase...otherwise leave it in your cart and walk away.
Midweek, December 1012: price breaks without weekend crowds
Holiday traffic forecasts for 2025 show that the last two Saturdays before Christmas (December 13 and 20) will rival Black Friday for in-store crowds, with sustained heavy traffic in the final 10 days before the holiday.
This makes the midweek stretch between Wednesday and Friday, December 1012, appealing for one simple reasonmuch fewer people.
What these shopping days are good for:
- In-store clothing and shoes, where you want to try things on but not fight for dressing rooms.
- Holiday dcor and entertaining supplies before the very last-minute rush.
- Return trips to exchange sizes or pick up forgotten items.
You may not see biggest discount of the year promos, but youre more likely to actually find what you need and get out without standing in line for 30 minutes.
Sunday, December 14: Free Shipping Day
If you plan on finishing your Christmas shopping online, and dont want to pay for expedited delivery, Free Shipping Day is one to watch and take advantage of.
It started back in 2008 and is a one-day event, held December 14th this year, with over 1,200 participating retailers offering free shipping with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve.
Why it matters this year:
- The 14th lands right before the USPS, UPS, and FedEx bump up the shipping service required for Christmas delivery. The December 1720th window is when youll have to pay moreto get your gifts delivered on time.
- Think of December 14th as the last realistic day to order online with free shipping and still be confident your packages will arrive by December 24th.
Best bets for Free Shipping Day:
- Gifts like apparel, shoes, kitchen gadgets, board games, small electronics, and toys.
- Gifts for people that live in other states, where on-time arrival matters more than chasing an extra 5% off.
- Items that are expensive to ship on your own (think heavy, bulky, or fragile gifts).
Pro tip: Make Free Shipping Day your hard cutoff for shopping online.Anything you havent ordered by the 14th becomes an in-store or gift-card present, period. Load your cart the night before, then on the 14th only buy at stores that show both free shipping and delivery by Dec. 24 at checkout.
Saturday, December 20: Super Saturday
The Saturday right before Christmas, often called Super Saturday, is expected to be the 2nd busiest shopping day of the entire 2025 season, trailing only Black Friday.
While it sounds like a daunting day to head to the mall or local stores, if you know what to look for, you can use this day to shop for gifts and actually save money.
What that means for shoppers:
- Retailers roll out aggressive, one-day promotions to capture last-minute shoppers.
- Youll see big signs for discounted gift sets, beauty, fragrance, pajamas, slippers, and stocking stuffers.
- Unfortunately, some popular toys and in-demand clothing sizes may already be thin.
Super Saturday is ideal if:
- Youre comfortable with crowds and want to finish everything in one in-store trip.
- Youre flexible on brands and colors and mainly want deals on more generic-type gifts.
- Keep in mind that its less ideal if you care about a specific item or color being in stock.
December 2124: last-minute, not lowest-price
The final days before Christmas is often when shoppers will sacrifice some savings for convenience.
Finding a good gift, regardless of price, often outweighs saving a few bucks. This is especially true if it means not having to stand in a long line or deal with a busy parking lot.
By these dates, expect the following:
- Most standard shipping windows have closed, leaving you only two-day, overnight, or same-day shipping options, often at a hefty premium.
- In stores, youll see markdowns on ultra-seasonal items like holiday dcor and even some gift sets. But popular toys and electronics may be sold out or your color/size choices will be smaller.
The smartest moves in these final days:
- Use buy online, pick up in store to lock in inventory and price before you get in your car and drive.
- Consider local shops and boutiques. The lines will be small, or non-existent, and the selection of gift ideas should still be strong.
- Its smart to focus on gifts like coffee, chocolate, candles, books, and gift cards.
- Buy gift cards at Costco if possible and get them at a discounted price. You can often get four $25 gift cards for just $79.99.
- If youre buying dcor or entertaining items, look for early clearance prices on stuff that you can use this year and stash for years to come.
