Issue date: December 17, 2000

Last week's Best of the Web
My Web: J. August Richards of Angel

Where on the Web

Instant gifts can get you out of a jam

Nervous about shopping online this Christmas? You're not alone. Thousands of people who did so last year got their packages late or not at all, and there were plenty of other problems to go around. Online traffic jams and weak customer service were enough to drive many to the mall, while others fretted over out-of-stock items -- especially must-get toys. Add to those woes the possibility that your e-store of choice may be out of business come New Year's.

Rather than abandon hopes of a mall-free holiday season, here's another idea: Online gift certificates or other types of online currency have unique advantages. These presents can be bought from the comfort of your own computer -- and don't require shipping. Plus, the giftee gets to pick his own gift.

Flooz.com offers online gift currency that is sent by e-mail (along with an e-card) and can be spent at dozens of Web stores, perfect for the out-of-towners on your list. At GiftCertificates.com, you can send an e-mail gift certificate good at any of hundreds of Web stores, or give a swank dinner or a full-day spa treatment. GiftCertificates.com also offers "super certificates," redeemable at merchants including Bloomingdale's, J. Crew and Express.

Of course, e-mail gifts won't stuff the kids' stockings on Christmas morning, so you might opt for a paper gift card along with a small gift.

More ideas:

A year of roses from Calyx & Corolla (calyxandcorolla.com)
Gift certificates from eToys.com
Scrumptious food certificates from Harry and David (harryanddavid.com)
Music certificates from
CDNOW.com
An afternoon at a local spa from SpaWish.com
A rock-climbing trip or other experience from Site59.com
An Anthropologie.com gift card for cool clothes and accessories

By Rula Razek, editor in chief of Internet Cool Guide (internetcoolguide.com).

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My Web: J. August Richards

Movers, shakers and their bookmarks

The 6-foot-3, devilishly handsome Richards, 27, has been turning heads ever since he landed as vampire-hunter-with-an-attitude Charles Gunn on the WB's Angel. The Washington, D.C., native moved to Los Angeles to study theater at the University of Southern California, and guest-starring roles on series like Chicago Hope and The Practice soon followed. When he's not with girlfriend Tangi Miller (Felicity), he sinks his teeth into a variety of sites.
For music: "I go to Napster.com to hear live performances that I would never hear any other way. I'll catch Tracy Chapman covering Marilyn Manson. I mean, where else are you gonna hear that?"

For space: "I have an interest in astronomy, so I occasionally check out space.com and NASA's site at www.nasa.gov."

For vampires: PathwaytoDarkness.com. It's "seriously weird, even by Hollywood standards."

-- Susan Karlin