*Foot Notes

In this week’s Footnotes:

Uncle Rudolph has never been a favorite, but he is family. Of course, you could venture out to the stores once more--more parking spaces to find, more bags to carry, more unhelpful clerks to endure. Last-minute shopping, ha! You have at least an hour. But, if you own a computer, there are other options. Here are a few ideas, depending on your budget and holiday spirit:

* You could send a cyber-holiday card. Blue Mountain Arts (www3.bluemountain.com) offers more than 30 animated Christmas cyber-cards. They also have designs for Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa and winter solstice. They come with holiday greetings, or you can make your own message. You will be notified when the card is delivered, and it will be on display for 60 days. Best of all, the service is free.

* You could send a free cyber-holiday bouquet. Virtual Florist (www.virtualflorist.com) offers 20 bouquets, and each can be delivered with a personalized message. Internet Florist can deliver real flowers (www.iflorist.com) including arrangements by FTD, Teleflora and AFS. The site also offers a selection of holiday gifts. You can place orders by e-mail or call (800) 600-9882, 24 hours a day.

* You could send books, CDs, videos or other gifts by going to the Web sites of Borders, Barnes & Noble or Amazon bookstores (www.borders.com, www.barnesandnoble.com or www.amazon.com). The sites are great for browsing--each has its own search engine, so you can easily look for the exact item you want. You can even pick out the wrapping paper and include a personal greeting. You can choose the shipping method--standard, 2nd Day Air or Next Day Air. Also, all three sites sell gift certificates, and Amazon boasts that its will arrive by e-mail within an hour.

*

Strike the harp and join the chorus, it’s Christmastime, that joyous time of the year! But nothing will drain your personal reservoir of “Peace on Earth, good will toward men” faster than a few hours at the mall. The lines, the cars, the crowds. Ugh! You’ve just gotten home and taken off your shoes when you realize you’ve forgotten Uncle Rudolph.*