Great Alternatives to Shopping at the Mall!

It's Christmas Eve and rather than going to beat the last minute crazed shoppers at the mall, here are some great alternatives for gifts to put under the tree for your loved ones!

• Money (simple, easy and everyone likes getting money!) Visit your nearest ATM that doesn't charge a fee of course!
• Lotto tickets (for folks not opposed to the lotto!) Find these at your grocery store, quickie-mart or gas station. Winning some holiday cash is a fun gift!
• Baking or cooking something special (Pirogies frozen in a freezer bag are a great gift!)
• Movie Tickets to a local cinema
• Sporting Event Tickets, visit TicketMaster.com
• Membership to a Museum or Garden (Chicago Botanic Gardens, Chicago History Museum, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium)
• Pay for an Entry Fee into a race!
• Southwest.com Gift Card (available online) Or just gift someone a flight from your "Rapid Rewards" to see you!
• Write a heart-felt letter - sometimes this is better than a gift!
• Book swap (swapping books from your home library that you have already read with friends and family is a great idea for families of readers!)
• Foodie Basket (go to your local grocery store and pick up their favorite foods!)
• Moms, Dads, Grandmas & Grandpas: Gift a meaningful piece of jewelry or something from your household to the younger generation (tell them the history behind the object or jewelry), family gifts are especially treasured because you can't buy it at the mall.
• Groupons: Groupon has a holiday event, "Grouponicus" that has very cool "gifty" coupons you can gift your friends and family. Don't forget to use Ebates for Groupon to get some cash back!

• Gift Cards(to restaurants, online stores, e-gift cards or retail stores) Now you can find a wide assortment of gift cards at Walgreens, Jewel, CVS and other convenient locations.

My point is even on Chirstmas eve there are many ways to avoid mall congestion and still have meaningful, wonderful gifts for your loved ones - without going broke!

And if you're reading this and don't still have shopping to do, then, congratulations, sit back, relax and enjoy Conan's Crazy Christmas Antics...found here!

Merry Christmas!!!