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FOOL'S EYE VIEW
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Seeing as they've only just stopped setting off fireworks around my way, I've been merrily pottering around thinking it was ages until Christmas. But having just clicked that there's little more than five weeks to go, I've realised that if I want to shop entirely online as I did last year, then I'd better get my skates on. I hate Christmas shopping, you see. At least, it's not that I dislike the process of choosing delicious presents for my husband and family -- it's the actual traipsing around the shops that I loathe! It's usually so cold that you've wrapped yourself up in the biggest, heaviest coat and scarf you've got, only to find yourself practically passing out from the heat in the aisle between the CDs and videos in Woolies (LSE: WLW). And then there are all those pushchairs and screaming toddlers to negotiate, as well as those endless queues. Oh, and have I mentioned the incessant playing of Slade's 'Merry Xmas Everybody' which Noddy Holder surely wrote as a way of driving the nation completely mad on an annual basis? (I bet someone out there has heard it playing somewhere already!) Trust me, Christmas shopping online is an absolute dream by comparison. I also think it's cheaper in the long run, because there's no panic buying at the last minute, no pressure from salespeople forcing you into a rash decision, and no children tugging on your sleeve demanding this and that. Last year, consumers spent, on average, £560 at Christmas time. Now, if you can afford to spend that sort of money, all well and good. But don't be bamboozled into over-extending yourself just because it's Christmas. With a bit of forward planning and careful thought, you can avoid the sort of debts that many people seem to run up over the festive period. And a good way of doing just that is to use the Internet! For a start, you can take your time browsing the various websites, comparing prices and jotting down a list of gifts for people, without having to spend a single thing. Very helpful if you have a set budget and really need to stick to it. Once you've got your list together, you can just whiz through the order forms in the space of an hour or two and, bingo, the whole lot will be hand-delivered to you courtesy of the postman without you suffering even so much as sore feet. The most tiring thing you'll have to do while Christmas shopping online is to get up and refill your coffee cup (or, in my case, wineglass!) Websites to try Of my favourite websites, I usually head over to Amazon, which, if you haven't tried it yet (where have you been?), is an absolute must. Not only do they sell the usual books, CDs and videos, but they also offer electronic and computer gadgets for children. You can even get your Christmas booze through them now, and there's a gift-wrapping service too -- so you don't even have to remember where you put the Sellotape after wrapping last year's offerings! (Admittedly, even I quite enjoy the present-wrapping session though). I'm also a big fan of a London-based website called iwantoneofthose, which has a fun selection of weird and wonderful gadgets that you didn't know had ever been invented. For example, they've got a natty little ice scraper that fits onto a credit card for a mere £3.50 -- just the sort of stocking-filler my dad will love. If you want even more choice, then you can always log on to ebay, the person-to-person trading website, although you need to bear in mind that you will be buying from a complete stranger. Although ebay has a basic insurance scheme in place, it pays to check out a seller's profile to see if other buyers have had good experiences with them. An added benefit is that you can always use it yourself -- perhaps to clear your attic of all the junk you received from people last Christmas! Foolish presents If you're wondering what The Motley Fool can offer you, don't forget about our books, many of which Foolishly cost less than a fiver. Know someone who's just had a baby? Well, how about our 'Make Your Child A Millionaire' book? Any student would probably appreciate learning 'How To Invest When You Don't Have Any Money', don't you think? And, of course, there's our very popular and recently updated 'UK Investment Guide', one of the best-selling finance books of all time. All in all, if, like me, you simply can't face the Christmas crowds this year, then I can highly recommend doing your pressie-shopping entirely online. In fact, tonight, I think I might light the fire, crack open a bottle of Rioja and switch on my computer so I can start on mine. Bliss!