Just because I do my shopping online doesn’t mean I’m not supporting my local businesses. Most of them have Web pages. They’ll gift wrap any present and mail it for me. I don’t have to drive around looking for a non-existent parking spot, I don’t have to elbow my way through crowds, I don’t have to wait in line at the cashier, I don’t have to wait at the wrapping desk. It also cuts down on my impulse buying. Not that I’ve made an impulse buy since the beginning of the Great Recession.

Face it: There are things you can buy online that simply aren’t available locally. Walmart sells caskets now, but you can only buy them online. I guess they don’t want anyone who’s buying Tasmanian Devil T-shirts to get any ideas regarding quality of life, especially during the holidays. It puts a damper on the impulse shopping. It’s hard to pretend you’re buying a coffin as a gift. But it’s hard to pass up a good deal; they range from $895 to $1,099 and are made in America. They say diamonds are forever, but if you think about it, so is a good casket. It also answers that “What do you get the guy who has everything?” question pretty quickly. If only they were stackable. Maybe Tupperware should start making them. Now that’d be a party!