The Digital Holiday Season

Before you get too excited, the picture is from years ago. To be honest, I'm not sure where our Christmas Tree is, and we wouldn't be putting it up even if we could, because we will be traveling once again this year. There is nothing more laborious than spending the effort and time to put up a tree, only to be gone on the only day it matters, and then to have to return home only to be faced with the chore of taking the tree down. So I'm hum-bugging it this season.

What is not hum-buggary, however, is the wonders of the internet. Last Saturday I did my portion of the Christmas shopping, all within a two hour timeframe, and all sitting in my pee-jays. A couple of things to try if you are sick of fighting traffic and rude people at the malls:

http://www.amazon.com/ - Is there anyone who doesn't know how wonderful this sight is? Apparently so, since so few of you have Amazon.com wish lists. I haven't truly researched this, but I believe that there isn't anything this site doesn't sell. Best of all for those of us who are kind of lazy, they gift wrap and allow you to include personal messages in your shipments, and they will mail your present straight to the recipient, which keeps you from waiting at the Post Office.

hallmark.com- This may prove the height of my laziness, but hallmarks website has a feature where you can purchase an individual card and a hallmark employee will hand write a message for you. Again, they will put the stamp on the envelope and put it in the mail for you. You even get to choose which stamp!

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/ and http://www.dillards.com/ are only a pair of the websites that you can order from online and they will ship it straight to your loved one. They also let you buy giftcards, in case you don't have a clue what your loved one would like.

There is some overly nostalgic part of me that wants to decry the impact of the information age on this sacred holiday, but when you can let your family and friends know that they are loved and still keep your bottom comfy on the couch and out of the cold, who could complain?

Merry Christmas, guys! I will be out of touch for a few weeks, so don't hold your breath for updates.