It's that time of year again when we start thinking about everything we need to do for the upcoming holiday season. This year I promised to make everything easier for myself and enjoy the holidays like they were meant to be.

I sat down and wrote a list of everything I needed; from presents, to a Christmas tree, to wrapping paper, and then I went shopping with my credit cards in one hand and my handy little mouse in the other. Everything I needed I found on the Internet. Why should I bother with all the traffic, the screaming children wanting the last "beanie baby" and the hustle and bustle of crowded stores. I figured if the Russian Cosmonauts can do this from space, I can certainly do this from my living room. As I logged on to the Internet, I thought of the stores that I would drive to, and checked to see if they had a Web site with online ordering and sure enough my shopping began.

I stopped by Wal-Mart (www.wal-mart.com) for stocking stuffers and Christmas decorations, and eToys (www.etoys.com) for all my toy and game needs. I visited JCPenney's (www.jcpenney.com) for most of my clothing needs. What I really enjoyed about JCPenney's online is that they also offer a selection of toys, Christmas decorations, electronics, bridal apparel, jewelry, flowers and all of their catalog items. Plus, at least for the month of November, shipping and handling was free.

What a great day I had! Not only did I get all my Christmas shopping done, I was able to eat at my convenience. The food, I might add, was better than anything they offer at the malls. And I did not have to deal with all the stress of being at the mall or being on the roads.

If you really aren't sure what you need for the holidays or where to shop, check the online Cyber-malls. Some of the Cyber-malls I found useful were Buyer's Index (www.buyersindex.com), Virtual Emporium (www.vemporium.com), and Cybershop (www.cybershop.com). And for the shoppers who would like someone else to handle their gift lists, check out Nordstroms (www.nordstrom.pta.com), Bloomingdales (www.bloomingdales.com), and Macy's (www.macys.com), which have personal shoppers who will do all your shopping for you.

Make sure when you start your shopping on the Internet to check out Cyberia's Shopping Top Ten Sites (www.cyberia.com/shopping.htm). This is a great starting point. And of course, since all my shopping is complete for the holidays, if there is any way I can help make your shopping easier, please email me at lisa@cyberia.com. I would love to answer any questions or let you in on a few other useful sites.

Happy Holidays!

Please email comments/suggestions to editor@cyberia.com.

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