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The Christmas cards are already on the shelves and it won't be long until Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody' is accompanying us on every trip around every store. Yes, Christmas is just around the corner. As our thoughts begin to turn to the dreaded Christmas present run it's good to know that there is another option to traipsing around the same old high street shops with everyone else.

Shopping on the internet can be a much more relaxing affair. No carrier bags to carry, no numb nose from the chilly air and no trying to find your purse at the bottom of your bag. In fact, looking for gifts online really gives you the time to find something you actually want to give. To find the right present for someone instead of just something that 'will do'.

If you are searching for a gift for someone who is very environmentally friendly and takes a real interest in what goes on in the world then why not click not www.oxfam.org.uk? There are some truly unusual gifts on offer here that really make you feel you are giving for the right reason. Your gift goes to someone who really needs it in the name of the recipient. You could send a bag of seeds to a farmer and his family, a programme of counselling sessions to an AIDS victim or even send a goat to a family who needs it. Prices start at 8 pounds for sending text books and go upto 84 pounds which will pay for a day's work for someone to work with a community that really needs the help.

If you're looking for a more personalised gift then have a look at www.thepoetrystudio.com. This site is packed to the brim with really special keepsake gifts. They are sure to be in pride of place for a long time to come. There are personalised cards available along with personalised gifts for children including jewellery boxes, books and CD's. This site is quite unusual in that it also offers a service for bespoke poems. Not everyone finds it easy to put their feelings into words but this site is here to help and can provide a personalised poem framed with a selection of your photographs for under 80 pounds.

For a more unusual and modern gift then maybe have a look at www.iwantoneofthose.com. This is the ultimate in gadgets for all ages. You can find things from the bizarre to the hilarious to the unbelieveable! Prices start at under 2 pounds and go right the way through to 15,000 pounds! Yes, you really can buy your own hovercraft here! Another useful addition to the site is the gift finder. Here you can enter information about the person whose gift you are searching for and the search will offer up a range of ideas for you to choose from. All that and gift wrapping is also offered in a range of papers!

If you're waiting for the shops to get their Christmas stock on the shelves you are, in many ways, be dictated to about where, when and how you shop. By shopping online you can take that control back. Shop from the comfort of your home, where you have the time and space to find the right gifts. And who's going to know if you have Christmas music on in the background? I won't tell if you don't!

Learn more about this author, Jayne Grindell.
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