Imagine it.......
Your day is done. It was one of those rare uneventful days
at work when you didn't end the day totally exhausted. You're
now home, have had dinner (and even cleaned it up), the kids
are in bed and you find that you've read all your magazines,
there is nothing great on TV, the town has shut down because
it's after 9:00, and you're still left with a bit of energy
to spare. You feel like doing something -- being productive.
With this time to spare, you decide to cruise the Internet
and visit all your favorite sites to see what's new. Maybe
tonight you'll even have time to do some research and find
new sites or just browse the Web and indulge yourself with
information, current events, games, contests....SHOPPING!
We're not talking casual shopping here -- we're speaking
of the big one; the one you've been thinking about (maybe
even dreading) for months. Yes -- we're talking about
Christmas Shopping. And by doing your shopping online,
you'll be able to avoid that I've-been-shopping-in-the-
mall-all-day gaze, you'll avoid the I-saw-it-first
crowds and you won't end up purchasing the oh-you-
already-got-one-of-those gifts.
You can realistically shop through at least 10 stores
in just one evening. How long would it take you
to walk through (once you drove to) 20 different brick-
and-mortar stores? And, your shopping is done from the
comfort of your own home, with no crowds, and during the
hours that are most convenient for you.
All of these advantages are terrific, but probably the
best part about shopping online is that you have an
opportunity to find truly unique items. Personalized,
hand-made, customized and exquisite gifts are just a
click away. You can find gifts online that you would
otherwise have to visit many boutiques and exclusive
specialty shops to locate. And very often, these online
shops also offer secure purchasing environments, gift-with-
purchase offers, free shipping, free gift wrapping, contest,
and customer service that is beyond compare.
Still leery about the security of shopping online? Why
not secure a credit card that you use only for online
shopping? That way, you'll be able to track it especially
carefully. Most online stores also accept online checks,
orders by mail, and orders by fax. Do your research about
the security of shopping online and you'll see that it's
come a long way over the last few years. I put it in
perspective by remembering how many times I've handed
my credit card number to someone behind a counter in a
local store -- someone who looked anything but trustworthy
and honest.
Many people still believe that anything bought online
should cost less. It does, but not necessarily in purchase
price. But if you calculate your time savings, gas savings,
and how much easier it is than being in the mall and
completely overwhelmed by all the choices that start
to all look alike, you'll see that you're saving something
even more valuable than money: your spirits.
Dim the lights and you'll find that your computer screen
has a nice glow of its own. If you have a fireplace, tonight
is a good night to put it to use. Pour yourself your favorite
beverage and, most importantly, turn on some music; nothing
will enhance your spirits or put you in the Holiday spirit
more quickly than music. (And don't forget that even if
your Holiday music is still hidden away somewhere, you can
play music right from your computer. Do a search for
"Christmas music" at one of the major search engines like
Yahoo! and you'll be amazed how many songs are literally
right at your fingertips.)
Now that you're settled in at your computer and have
created a pleasant environment for yourself, you could
soon have all of your shopping done and delivered
to your front door. Imagine it..........a holiday filled
with joy, friends and family and void of shopping hassles
and frustrations.
Carol Cuoco is the owner and operator
of Christmas Gift Stores.com, which showcases unique and
specialty shops from all over the country, and conveniently
available to you here: http://www.christmasgiftstores.com.
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