This Holidays

Writen by Nina Nocciolino

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring… except for that trusty computer mouse. This holiday season, more and more people are forgoing crowded malls and going online to find the perfect gift for that special someone on their list. Online shopping is expected to exceed $19 billion this holiday season according to the tracking firm, com Score Networks. That's a 24 percent increase from last year. With the help of that little mouse, I bring you the ultimate his and her gift giving guide to online shopping.

Ladies, shopping for the man in your life can be a lot like pretending you like to fish…painful. The clothes you think your guy should wear aren't always the same as what he will wear, and experience tells us to steer clear of fuzzy socks and holiday ties. But, there is one thing almost all men love …sports. Most guys have at least one team they pledge allegiance to year after year, through wins, losses, and the occasional curse, and the holidays are the best time to show them you've noticed.

There are plenty of online sites catering to the sports nut in your life offering apparel, memorabilia, and collectibles as gift ideas. But, there's one site that is the mother of online sports outlets. Sports nostalgia company, Mitchell & Ness, is the ultimate gift center for extreme sports fans. Mitchell & Ness is the leader in authentic vintage sportswear, offering throwback jerseys, jackets and merchandise from NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL teams. The fact that you are willing to indulge his team loyalty will automatically score you points, but going all out on an authentic 1951 Mickey Mantle throwback jersey for the absolute Yankee fan in your life, is a hard gift to beat. And, in the off chance that you weren't paying attention to who your man was rooting for all these years, Mitchell & Ness has gift cards.

Now, onto the women, take notes guys. You can never really go wrong with jewelry. For a long time, the saying was "diamonds are a girl's best friend," but over the years women's tastes and style have diversified. Jewels, precious metals and rare items such as pearls are all must-have accessories. International Pearl Syndicate has bracelets, necklaces, rings and earrings in a variety of styles and sizes. There are freshwater and cultured pearls, black pearls, Tahitian pearls, and pearls from the South Sea. International Pearl Syndicate also explains the process of buying pearls, and how to tell the good from the not so good.

Of course not everyone on your list falls into the obsessed sports fan or jewelry junkie category. But for those who prefer sparkles and sports, these sites offer the ultimate gifts without stalking for a parking spot. It could be the most relaxing holiday shopping you've ever done.

Nina Nocciolino is a copywriter for DMi Partners, an interactive marketing firm, specializing in higher education, finance, retail and real estate. For more information visit Mitchell & Ness and http://www.pearlvalue.com/ International Pearl Syndicate