Do you have to pre- order the iPhone X or can you get it anytime after it's released?

I'm asking because i've never got an iPhone right as it came out, but i do want to get the iPhone X, but maybe for Christmas. Just wondering if i have to pre- order or can I wait till around the first week December to buy it?

You will have to pre-order it as soon as it goes on sale. And then hope and pray that you are going to be one of the very lucky few who may have a remote shot at landing one before Christmas. It goes on sale on November 3rd. But It will be nearly impossible to land one before the holidays. This isn't so much due to demand, but due to the fact that they are going to manufacturer so very few of them, due to the limited production capacity of OLED screens that Samsung is making for Apple. So by the time anyone can really hope to get one, will be January or February according to most industry experts. Aka… Don't bank on getting one before Christmas. In Fact it may be almost February. And by then, other new phones may be out that may interest you. The new Galaxy S9 will be unveiled in February for example as will a new LG device. (Unless you're set on IOS?)