If you buy a certificate of deposit or Treasury bill that matures in January rather than December, you can defer taxes on the interest until the next tax year. If you're due a bonus, see if your employer will hold off writing the check until January. If you own a cash-basis business, you can time receipt of income by waiting until close to the end of the year to send your December billings. You can't defer taxes by simply not putting a check in the bank. Bunch your payments.
Some taxpayers find they have almost enough deductions to exceed the standard deduction limits.
If this is your case, try bunching payments into one year to take advantage of itemizing. The next year use the standard deduction, and then bunch your payments again the following year. This way you'll itemize every other year. Other limits to watch are the medical expense limit and the miscellaneous itemized deduction limit. By bunching payments into one year or changing the timing of certain services, you may be able to get a deduction.