14 DAY TRIAL // Customers planning to buy an Apple Christmas present have some deadlines to look out for. Cupertino has posted the lowdown on its web site where you can see when the products (and their respective configurations) last ship before Christmas Eve.
Most products have a shipping deadline of 12/19/2011. There are, of course, exceptions. For example, a customized Macintosh configuration can be ordered on 12/14/2011 for 2-3 day shipping.
A standard-configuration Mac, an iPhone 4 or iPhone 3GS, or an Apple TV can be ordered by December 21st. For an iPhone 4S, it appears you’ll need to visit your local Apple retail store.
Unless otherwise specified, ordering deadlines are for in-stock products that ship within 24 hours. Apple notes in fine print that estimated shipping times and delivery dates may vary, so don’t bet your life on them.