12 last-minute homeware gifts that will please anyone

Pink stockings hung from a black fireplace with strings of orange slices — (Image credit: Future PLC / Adrian Briscoe)

The countdown is on to get your Christmas shopping done if you want it to arrive in time to be wrapped up and under the Christmas tree by 25th December. The last delivery date by first-class mail from the Royal Mail is 20th December. However, the last order day for Christmas delivery at most retailers, including John Lewis, is the 18th. That means you have less than a week to order those final gifts.

I’m about 70% done with my shopping, but I still have a small handful of friends and family to get presents for. I know first-hand that most last-minute gifts are usually a result of indecision and struggling to find the perfect gift for someone, especially if funds are on the tight side. If all you need is inspiration, you are bound to find something in the Ideal Home Editor-in-Chief’s Christmas gift guide.

However, if you’re in a pinch and are looking for crowd-pleasing homeware gifts that will arrive in time for Christmas Eve, I’ve rounded up my top 12 last-minute gift go-tos. Whether it is an olive oil dispenser (which our kitchen editor is buying for everyone on her list this year) or the bestselling cast iron pot from Habitat, these gifts are still designed to feel thoughtful and considered.

I’ve checked the last delivery date on each item, so as long as you order it by the 18th December, it should arrive on time.

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Rebecca Knight has been the Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2025; previously, she was the Deputy Digital Editor from 2022. She has a Master's degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London and has been writing about homes and interiors for 7 years. Her expertise lies in DIY projects, home decor trends and spotting the latest high street homeware buys that are about to go viral. She bought her first home in London last year and is currently renovating it (on a budget).