We all know it's coming: the holiday season. This brings with it the stress of a major caloric increase, sugar-high kids and the in-laws coming to visit, plus you still have to get going on the shopping!Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Grinch and I love the holidays, but all too often we find ourselves so consumed by the imminent frustration of navigating over-crowded malls, dealing with tired, overworked sales people, circling endlessly for parking, and the inevitable "blowing of the budget" -- that there's simply no time left to enjoy the season.In fact, a survey of 1,905 shoppers conducted by BizRate showed that over one-third (35%) of women feel anxious, inadequate, confused or aggravated about buying holiday gifts. (Source: Holiday Gifting Panel Survey of 1,905 online shoppers who are members of the BizRate Research Online Shopping Panel).But there is hope.By plugging into modern technology, even the busiest of moms can finish their holiday shopping and still find time to enjoy friends, family, their kids and just have some plain,old fun. Isn't that what the season is all about?!START EARLY: As in, NOW. There is nothing worse than a busy mall the week before Christmas - or staring down your fellow shopper in the parking lot to battle it out for the last spot left.  With the NPD Holiday Survey reporting that the average shopper spent around $800 on holiday merchandise last year, getting started early can not only save you time and stress, but it allows you the time to search for money-saving deals and maximize that holiday budget. This year, many retailers will be adding "early shopper" discounts and "first time buyer" discounts. In fact, as part of your getting started early plan to save time and money, why not also plan to just avoid the malls altogether? MAKE A LIST - And check it twice. Santa isn't the only one who can benefit from planning ahead. By being thoughtful about who you are buying for ahead of time, you can eliminate "impulse buying" that can cause your spending to double before the end of the day. Sit down and think about your list and then stick to it. Who should be on that list? It widely depends on your budget and how much you are willing to spend on each person. Based on survey results, 98% make sure to include key family members and kids on their gift lists (98%); friends make the lists of 70% of those surveyed; 65% have spouses/romantic interests on their gift lists; 29% have coworkers/bosses on their lists; and 16% include neighbors on their list. As for the hard numbers, 35% of people surveyed had 6-10 people on their holiday gift list. Another 25% had 11-15 people. In fact, only 17% had 5 or fewer people on their list. (Source: BizRate Holiday Gifting Panel Survey of 1,905 online shoppers who are members of the BizRate Research Online Shopping Panel. Fielded 9/18/06 - 9/25/06)SHOP ONLINE - Research consistently shows that online shopping is a growing trend as more and more people are feeling confident about buying from vendors online. According to 2006 Forrester Research, online retail has experienced overall strong growth during the first three quarters of last year. In fact, online retail sales were $44 billion in Q3 of 2006 - This is just Q3, not all three quarters - which is 12% higher than Q3 2005. (Source: Forrester US eCommerce Outlook for Q4 2006, October 2006) Why are more and more people shopping online? Two reasons: time and money. Forrester reports that close to 40% of online shoppers say they are pressed for time and more than 70% say they find shopping online easier than through other channels. Furthermore, 59% of consumers say they can often find products online that they can't find anywhere else. (Source: BizRate Weekly Online Shopping Scoop 10-16-06 - 10-22-06)If the massive time and money savings aren't enough to keep you shopping from the comfort of your home, consider the added benefit of not packing up the kids in the car before navigating those crowded malls with them in tow. Also, keeping their holiday gifts a secret is so much more convenient when they are not positioned firmly on your heels while shopping for them.This is not to suggest that shopping online is always perfect. Most people are well-aware of the risks associated with putting personal information out on the web. There are steps you can take, however, to combat these risks and ensure that you can shop confidently. KNOW THE MERCHANTS- Whether you choose the websites of large department stores where you've shopped for years or a small online boutique you recently discovered, by doing your homework you can eliminate the risks. One way to find good merchants is through the rating systems that are readily available on many websites. Look for merchants that have high ratings and positive reviews from past customers. If you find even a few poor reviews, do more research on that particular vendor until you feel 100% confident that they will process your order accurately and that your personal information will be used ethically.USE COMPARISON SHOPPING TOOLS - Another way to compare online merchants is through comparison shopping sites that enable you to see side-by-side comparisons of products from a variety of vendors all in one place. Moreover, if the comparison site offers a rating system, it can be a one-stop shop to research credible merchants, find the best prices, and purchase your items. Once you have found that credible vendor with the perfect gift, see what kinds of incentives are being offered. Many times, online vendors can offer discounts and incentives not enabled through brick-and-mortar stores. According to a recent survey, an increasing number of online retailers will offer shipping promotions this year including free shipping with or without conditions and discounted shipping (including early shopper and first time buyer discounts). Three years ago, only 64% of online retailers offered free shipping with conditions; Last year, 83% of retailers offered the promotion. This trend falls directly in line with customer expectations, as three-fourths of shoppers (74.9%) said that free shipping offers are one of the most important factors when they decide where to buy online. (Source: The Shop.org/Shopzilla eHoliday Mood Survey, September 18-21, 2006)With the holiday shopping season in full swing, there is no need for frantic mall-dashing any longer.  Just sit back with your list, grab a cup of coffee and slippers and simply start searching. Remember to use the rating and comparison shopping tools available to you online and savor the season- along with all the time and money you'll save.Happy shopping!