On the Fly

Just in time for the holidays, comical ceramic creations by Villeroy & Boch are ready to take wing on your tree or hang suspended in a window.

The zany Flying Ornaments ($17.50 each)--a fish, angel, hippo, teapot, teacup, elephant, cat, cat box, cat ball, heart, icicle, bird and angel ball--will dangle and delight almost everyone, perhaps even Scrooge.

The ornaments are available gift-boxed at Villeroy & Boch at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.

Luxeware

When you want a little sheen and shimmer at your holiday table, let the gold shine through.

JCPenney’s Florentine scroll dinnerware, trimmed in 22-karat gold, is certain to lend glimmer to your table. The ivory porcelain is complemented by gold-rimmed glasses and flatware.

A five-piece completer set includes 9-inch vegetable bowl, 12-inch platter, creamer and covered sugar bowl (about $110).

A 20-piece service for four (about $130) is available through the JCPenney Christmas catalog or in stores throughout the county.

Cyber-Shopping

Convenience foods are a godsend to busy families and couples who want decent meals without all the fuss and bother of lengthy preparations.

Shoppers Express has taken this concept a step further, with grocery shopping on the Internet. You can buy groceries (more than 25,000 products are online) from Pavilions and have them delivered with the click of a mouse.

And you won’t miss out on in-store specials or coupon buys, either, because this information is available, along with nutritional content and unit prices. Recipe selections and menu options are accessible too.

Orders can be placed seven days a week, by telephone [(800) 284-7467] between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., or 24 hours a day by fax [(800) 333-5478] and the Shoppers Express web site at https://www.shopx.com/

There are six delivery times on weekdays, and two on Saturdays. Major credit cards, checks and coupons are accepted.