Christmas is coming, and if you're like me, you are wracking your brains for interesting and unusual gifts for family and friends and teachers and co-workers and possibly a little something to reward yourself for all that wracking.

You deserve it, you know.

If you are REALLY like me, you are also praying for a shopping alternative that does not require braving the mall or a series of chain stores. Yes? Then I have the answer for you: the on-line auction.

On-line auctions are a fantastic place to find quirky, unusual gift alternatives. I have a girlfriend who only shops at auction for her husband; a few years back, she stumbled on a collection of post cards sent from the Maine island where they were married. To this day her husband talks about what a remarkable gift that was.

You, too, can be a remarkable gift giver, as long as you follow a few basic auction rules.

Shop at a reputable auction site. eBay is, of course, THE go-to site, but smaller sites are cropping up all the time. Do your research ahead of time, though, and make sure that the site you shop is on the up-and-up. Or just go eBay.

Make sure you understand the rules. Make sure you are clear about shipping, returns, and how to file a complaint.

Check out the seller. eBay has buyers rate sellers, which gives you a snapshot of what it is like to do business with that particular merchant. You wouldn't eat in a restaurant that only got one star; think twice about doing business with a seller who has poor customer reviews.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. But read the seller's listing carefully first, before you start asking how big that console is. It's probably in the listing.

Ready to shop? You need to have a plan.

Stalk the options. eBay allows bidders to track auctions, which means that you can watch as the clock ticks and the bids roll in. This will give you a sense of what things are selling for and how much interest there really is in that Partridge Family lunch box that you just HAVE to have.

Be patient. Don't start bidding the moment the auction opens; instead, wait until the last possible second. Literally: your best bet is to plan to be there for the last half hour or so of an auction, so that you can edge out the competition. After all, that frenzy of bidding is the best part of the auction!

Set a limit. As with any shopping, you need to have a budget going in. Decide what your ceiling is and don't bid over that. eBay lets you set a top bid and will automatically raise your bids, incrementally, to out bid other buyers, until you reach that ceiling. But don't go crazy.

Be prepared to lose. You will NOT win every auction; some will shoot out of your price range, while others will end while you are busy doing other things. It's a good idea to watch more than one auction at a time, to be sure you get one of what you're looking for. There has to be more than one set of turquoise Fiesta wear up for auction at any one time. And if there isn't, wait a day or three. It will show up again.

Skip the auction part. For those pieces that you just can't STAND not to bring home, use eBay's BUY IT NOW option. Rather than bidding on an item, you pay a set price and the auction ends there. Some eBay sellers do ONLY Buy It Now transactions, while others, particularly with higher end pieces, will have auctions with Buy It Now options. You will probably pay slightly more if you settle for the Buy It Now price, but you will walk away with the item.

Zara Rabinowicz, at The Bag Lady, wrote this week about smart strategies for on-line shopping. While part one offers tips for basic internet shopping, part two talks specifically about on-line auctions. She reminds readers that there is a certain risk in buying at an on-line auction:

The problem with online auctions is that the trader can refuse to accept liability for the quality of their goods and it's pretty much a buy what you see policy. So, make sure you check it thoroughly in advance and ask the seller questions. You still have some wiggle room though. If it goes horribly wrong as if what you’re sold is something totally different you can argue it under the Unfair Terms Policy in Consumer Contracts Relation 1999. To do this log onto the Citizens Advice Bureau who will be able to provide you with all the necessary forms and talk you through the process.

It is good to keep that in mind when you shop.

If the auction isn't really your style but you want to avoid the mall, keep one eye on WantNot, the brainchild of BlogHer contributing editor Mir. She tracks the on-line sales so you don't have to. God bless her for that. Mir is also offering up useful holiday shopping tips right here at BlogHer.

Finally, be sure to check out all the posts in the BlogHer holiday gift guide; no matter who or what you are shopping for, we've got you covered.

Susan Wagner writes about fashion at Friday Style and The Working Closet, and about everything else at Friday Playdate. She's asking for a Superhero necklace for Christmas this year.