Christmas shopping has changed so much for me over the last few years.  I used to pound the pavement and stand in line after line, battling both the traffic and the crowds everywhere I went.  Thank goodness those days are over!  Visiting a mall a few weeks before Christmas is a sure fire way to suck the holiday spirit out of even the jolliest soul.

Now, I shop 100% online in the comfort of my home.  There's nothing like putting on some classic Christmas tunes, snuggling up under a warm blanket with a hot cup of coffee, and then opening up my laptop and shopping.  Of course, online shopping is also fraught with concerns, such as shipping costs and delivery times.  Want to know my tips for shipping holiday gifts without losing your sanity?  Keep reading to find out!

My number one tip for shipping holiday gifts to your friends and family without standing in endless lines at the post office or paying ridiculous shipping fees is quite simple...use a shipping program to do it from home!  I use Stamps.com for my mailing needs and if you want to relieve some of the stress that comes with sending packages out during the holidays, then I suggest you give it a try.  Use this code to sign up, C-BCWB-G4J, and you will get a $100 offer which includes a digital scale and $45 in postage.

Also, be sure to wrap your parcels even more carefully during the holiday season.  Our hardworking postal carriers are really under the gun right now and might not have the time to be as careful with your packages as they usually are.  An extra layer of bubble wrap and a slightly sturdier box can be the difference between a happy gift recipient and one that receives a broken mess.

Of course, last but not least, be sure that you ship your holiday gifts in enough time so that they are received before the big day.  Remember that you have until December 17th (FREE SHIPPING Day) to send your packages so that they will arrive on Christmas Eve.  If you wait past that date, you'll be stuck paying exorbitant fees for 2-day or overnight shipping.

If you still have a few gifts to purchase, don't forget to visit RetailMeNot for all of the best holiday deals, coupon codes and free shipping offers.  I've been using RetailMeNot for ages and I love how quick and easy it is to save money while shopping on the internet. They always have the latest and greatest codes to save you a bundle and you don't have to spend your precious time hunting down promo codes either.  With RetailMeNot, they're literally all at your fingertips.

This year, thanks to the RetailMeNot "12 Days 'til Free Shipping Day Giveaway" you might just be shipped for free to your next vacation!  Every day, for 12 consecutive days from December 6–17 (10 a.m. through midnight CST), RetailMeNot will celebrate the thousands of merchants who provide consumers online free shipping offers at http://www.retailmenot.com/freeshipping by giving away daily prizes like:

• Starbucks: a brand-new Starbucks Verismo at-home coffee machine
• HP: An HP ENVY Touchsmart Ultrabook 4t
• Kohl's: A $1,000 shopping spree

Online shoppers can access the full calendar of retailers' holiday shipping deadlines by visiting this frequently updated resource on the RetailMeNot blog: http://theinsider.retailmenot.com/christmas-shipping-deadlines-2012.html.

On the last day of the giveaway, RetailMeNot is giving away a prize that includes being shipped away—for free—to your next vacation! Their partner for this contest, Orbitz.com, will provide airfare for two people to travel anywhere in the continental United States or Canada. RetailMeNot will also sponsor a 7-night hotel stay (assuming an average hotel rate of $300 per day).  Finally, the winner will receive $1,000 in prepaid VISA gift cards to help cover any other incremental costs, e.g. meals, transportation, entertainment.

So what are you waiting for?  Take advantage of some spectacular holiday discounts at RetailMeNot and enter to win big!