Internet Help For Dog-gone Crazy Holiday Shopping

Christmas shopping and the quest for holiday gifts used to be extremely time consuming and a bit challenging in our family. No doubt everyone has a similar story. I admit that I've not encountered many people who happily anticipate the onset of the holiday season as a source of fun and relaxation.

Granted, no one I know personally was ever trampled while trying to race a herd of agitated shoppers into a discount retailer at 4 a.m. but I still have my share of relatively unpleasant retail memories.

Most of my relatives and a good number of close friends are art lovers, all especially fond of works with a canine theme. With a few dog trainers, a breeder, two groomers and three staunch anti-racing activists in the mix, I had my work cut out for me while trying to track down paintings, pictures and other assorted dog-depicting creations.

When painters Peter Max and Sarah Robertson donated highly acclaimed greyhound works to benefit the Grey2K organization's auction last year (the group works to eliminate the horrors of greyhound racing), that lent a helpful dose of doggy inspiration to our gift lists. Most everyone received greyhound-themed items for Christmas, Hanukah and winter birthdays in 2008.

I must say that my sister's discovery of several online fine art resources earlier this year caught my attention, and alleviated some impending shopping-related anxiety. These websites seemed to provide an absolutely ideal solution to holiday shopping, eliminating most if not all of the truly irritating aspects of the present-seeking ventures.

Besides the fact that I can now peruse the sites at any hour, my family can look over the various selections and 'hint' about their favorite creations. Not so subtle, I know, but rather effective nonetheless. Even our long-distance relatives, some of whom reside in notably rural locales, have signed up for satellite internet and now they, too, have access to the same websites and information that the city-dwelling side of our family is privy to.

Apparently the British are exceptional fans of artwork that highlights the dog as the primary subject. Ahead of the curve in this arena, there are several uk websites that offer a wonderful assortment of paintings done in oils, acrylics and water colors. We were delighted to find that shipping costs were not entirely prohibitive if one desires to transport art across the pond.

Whether you're searching for realistic portraiture as created by Justine Osborne, the vibrant, contemporary designs of Peter Max, Sarah Robertson's energetically whimsical paintings or peaceful watercolors like those done by Monica Acee, you are sure to find an inspiring gallery's worth of options online. Utilizing the internet as a shopping venue can certainly take most of the frustration out of the experience!

Even for those who aren't avid art-lovers, the internet offers a wealth of shopping resources for just about any product you can imagine! Jewelry, electronics, apparel, and more are right there at the touch of your fingertips (no crowds required). So get out your cup of cocoa, fire up the computer and shop to your heart's content -- entirely stress free!

Author John Steinbeck once wrote, "I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts."

Convenient online shopping is sure to add a little sanity to your purchasing adventures this holiday season!