The holiday season is here and I find myself busier than ever and wondering how I will find the time to do all the fun holiday stuff, all the everyday stuff and still have time to reflect on the mystery and magic of this special season. I'm hoping to remember friends and family with warm holiday greetings via the internet either by sending electronic cards or inviting them to my web site to view my online Holiday greetings. Happily, I enjoy sleuthing out the perfect gift for everyone on my list, so I'm going to check out some of my favorite shopping sites to see what they are featuring this holiday season.
Lucky for me lots of people on my list like to read because my favorite site to shop is (pronounced: amazon-dot-com). Amazon.com is the world's largest bookstore. They sell books, CDs, videos and other gifts. You can even order a gift certificate online and have it sent via e-mail, great for people who waited until the last minute to shop! Amazon.com sells exclusively over the Internet, and orders are filled promptly. But this is not why I shop there. I've spent many a pleasant hour at Hastings and Barnes and Noble, so browsing and the availability of coffee are definite shopping enticements I enjoy.
What Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com and Barnes and Noble Online Bookstore http://www.barnesandnoble.com offer is customized book recommendations based on their extensive database of what you bought previously and what other people who bought the same books you did, also ordered. They offer e-mail subscriptions with reviews of the latest books published in your area(s) of interest. I subscribe to business, computers, home and gardening, cooking, and children's books interest areas as a way to satisfy my reading habit and receive reviews on books I might order as gifts. Part of the satisfying buying experience includes Amazon.com's 1-click ordering for those repeat buyers who have ordered before and have their credit card number stored in Amazon's database. Browse for CDs, get the same "recommendations" service and even listen to a few selections using Real Audio; download the player at http://www.real.com. Also, check out their "gift matcher" and see what pops up for the hard to please people on your shopping list. One sister-in-law likes a particularly hard to find beauty product. The internet to the rescue once again! I found Ball Beauty supply http://www.ballbeauty.com in Los Angeles while searching for her gift. They offer a wide variety of bath and beauty products, at a discount to Internet shoppers! You can browse several categories of products and send them e-mail if you are looking for something in particular and don't find it. I especially like their site because they have purchase options that allow you to order online and phone or fax your credit card number to them.
Online auctioning has taken off as the internet offers the ultimate marketplace for buyers and sellers to meet and sell goods at what I believe is the world's largest flea market. Another sister-in-law introduced me to ebay http://www.ebay.com. They sell a variety of items including: baseball cards, Christmas ornaments, scale model trains, and vintage sewing implements, to name a few. I checked it out and immediately became enthralled with the process of submitting an online bid and watching to see the progress of the bidding over a period of days. There is no direct cost to buyers who register and bid for free. Sellers pay a fee to list their goods for sale and a percentage of each sale goes to ebay. Sellers generally provide a minimum bid and a description. Frequently there is a photo of the item(s) for sale and a reserve bid below which the item will not be sold. I suggest deciding on a top price that you are willing to pay for an item before bidding so you don't break the budget. You may use a strategy where you bid midway between the current price and your top price so as not to pay too much for the item.According to one social psychologist (Cialdini, 1993), auctions have their own psychological effect. When golf clubs were offered for $400, their price was bid up to $450.But when the price began at $0, the price was bid up to $500 as it became more of a game to be "won" rather than a way to determine "fair market value". Let the bidder beware! Other auction sites are: Bid.com http://www.bid.com featuring American and Canadian Auction sites and a "Dutch Auction", Auction Insider http://www.auctioninsider.com, and Auction Net http://auction.net. eToys is being touted lately as the antidote to "combat shopping" techniques exhibited by some shoppers on the prowl for over-marketed Christmas toys in short supply that children are begging for. I'll have to admit, they make it easy to toy shop and you can simmer some mulled cider on the stove while you whittle away at your list. Visit their site at http://www.etoys.com where you can search by category, manufacturer, or recommendations by age. You can also donate a toy to Toys for Tots at their web site. They offer a toy newsletter delivered via e-mail and a wish list for your kids to let Santa know their heart's desire.
For more toy shopping fun, check out the web site of that legendary toy store: FAO Schwartz http://www.faoschwartz.com/shopping/index.html .With so many items to choose from (categorized for easy browsing) I'm sure you'll find something for everyone on your list!
Want more variety in your shopping adventure? Check out Internet Mall http://www.internetmall.com/ I was intrigued by Just White Shirts and Black Socks http://www.justwhiteshirts.com/ as there are several men on my list who just don't seem to need or want anything new, but we women know that that shirt could use some updating! They specialize in custom made shirts at a reasonable price and will send a catalog on request, what a great idea!
Is there a four legged friend on your list? There are two on mine. SitStay GoOut Store http://www.sitstay.com/ has just the gift for your dog(s). I liked their NEVER tee shirts and sweat shirts that feature common sights in a dog lovers household such as "NEVER work alone again" I could definitely relate to that! The day I visited the site they were featuring 10% off everything you order. Not to be outdone, cat lovers can find gifts at Kit'n Kaboodle http://www.catgifts.com. For pet lovers of other species, there are bargains galore at the Pet Warehouse http://www.petwhse.com where even the clearance items are listed by type of pet including: fish, bird, and reptile. If you want an unusual animal gift, consider adopting a wild animal at Keepers of the Wild http://www.keepersofthewild.com where they rescue and house exotic animals that have been abused. Popcorn, a bearcat, is one of my favorites.
If software is on your gift list, check out Beyond.com http://www.beyond.com for the latest in all types of software and discounts for government and business purchasers. Egghead http://www.egghead.com/store/ent/eggs_portal.browse carries software as well as computers and even has an online liquidation center for bargains. They also carry other, non-computer items, they have a jazzy, easy to navigate site, with gifts sure to please almost everyone.
For the sports enthusiast on your list, the Sports Superstore http://www.sportssuper.com/ offers footwear, surf boards, sunglasses and golf clubs as well as vitamins and outdoor athletic gear. They also have a section of logowear for sports fans. If your favorite sport involves a ball, a puck or a stick, you'll probably find the gear at Sports N More http://www.sportsnmore.com/. They carry a wide variety of sports equipment. Where else can you buy a "custom Yo-Yo"?
In case your generous spirit exceeds the capacity of your wallet, fear not, there are plenty of cool things on the web to give people that don't cost you any money! Think of the advantages here, the cost allows you to be VERY generous. For the person who has everything and nowhere to put it, this is PERFECT. These gifts can convey an array of sentiments and are especially nice when sent for no particular occasion. Here are some of my favorites: Mail a Meal http://www.mailameal.com you might send chicken soup to someone who is sick or a birthday cake to a friend. Virtual Flowers http://www.virtualflowers.com offers a variety of bouquets, even balloons, for every occasion! Texas Postcards http://TravelTex.com features scenes from around Texas. Blue Mountain Arts http://www.bluemountainarts.com offers a huge selection of cards for every conceivable occasion; many are animated and include music. Some of my favorites are ones with hidden pictures that are revealed as the mouse moves over them. They also have a Spanish Language web site, fun to send a card to someone who speaks Spanish or someone who is just learning the language. Hallmark Greetings http://www.hallmarkgreetings.com has a great web site with gift suggestions, and a holiday newsletter creator. They also offer free e-cards.
Of course, the holidays are not just about shopping and spending, they are a time to remember family and friends, sharing God's peace and reflecting on the magic of the season. Some sites you might enjoy include: The North Pole http://www.northpole.com, Santa.com http://www.santa.com Christmas! Christmas! Christmas! from Not Just for Kids! http://www.night.net/christmas/, Christmas traditions http://www.soon.org.uk/christma.htm, and Santa's Favourites: Bookmarks and Links http://www.santas.net/christmasworldlinks.htm. For Hanukkah celebrations check out: Jewish Family and Life's Hanukkah http://www.jflhanukkah.com/ or Jewish Communication Network's Hanukkah How-To: A Guide to Celebrating the Festival of Lights http://www.jcn18.com/holiday/hanukkah/how-to.htm.
Well, now, have you finished your shopping yet? It's time to put
your feet up, sip a nice hot drink and reflect on the many wonderful
experiences you had this past year! Avoid the crowds, savor the
season, start a new tradition in your family, and rejoice!
When she is not teaching at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi,
Whitney loves to spend her time on the internet: researching,
shopping, and building web pages. Write to her at whitneyb@earthlink.net.