It's a well known fact that most men would rather watch sports, play computer games or head down to the local pub as opposed to going shopping. Many women on the other hand would pick shopping over all these activities. They may have battled in the courts to gain their rights and to have equality in the work place, but at home men and women still have very different interests. It's true that not all women hate football and not all men hate shopping. However, just as most women will never understand the offside rule, most men will never understand shopping. Especially for Christmas Gifts.



Perhaps it's something to do with genetic predisposition. As they say 'men are from Mars and women are from Venus'. The most likely explanation, however, is our upbringings. Girls are dressed in pink, boys in blue. Girls usually accompany their mothers from shops to beauty parlours while boys follow their fathers from football matches to the pub. Come Christmas while the mothers take their daughters out shopping for Christmas Gifts, boys accompany their fathers to traditional sporting events. Therefore on Christmas Eve traditionally fathers are running around the shops in a mad search for those ideal Christmas Gifts. And, let's be honest, they often get it wrong.

Men just seem to be inherently hopeless at shopping for those Christmas Gifts. Perhaps that's why they hate it so much. They want the simplicity of walking into a shop, picking something up and heading home again. 'Shouldn't take more than five minutes tops!' they say. But of course, when shopping for Christmas Gifts, that just doesn't happen.

When men do go shopping they have a habit of heading straight to the video games, gadgets and toys. Whilst these make great Christmas Gifts for boys, if you send them shopping for some more original Christmas Gifts, men often come back frustrated and empty handed. When it comes to jewellery, however, they take their time. Jewellery makes for expensive Christmas Gifts, which means they check the quality. How many carats is it? What's it made of? Is there a guarantee? Can I return it? If they are going to spend that much money, they want to know what they're doing. Jewellery is broken down into a list of specifications and treated like the latest mp3 player. Unfortunately they spend a lot less time on style, taste and colour. Perhaps this is why their Christmas Gifts often disappoint.

Women are notorious for their attention to detail. First they check the models. Then they check whether they are safe and make for appropriate Christmas Gifts. Lastly they check the style and colour. They make sure that everything is perfect. Therefore on Christmas day as the Christmas Gifts are unwrapped, they cannot fail to please.

Nevertheless, internet shopping is changing all of this. When computers were first invented they were solely for the workplace. The arrival of the home computer led to a lot of men and boys playing video games. Today things are very different. Gone are the days of Space Invaders and Pac-Man. Now computers are used for watching films, shopping, communication and various other activities. This has somewhat levelled the playing field between the sexes. It has made shopping for Gifts much more accessible for men. Now they can sit at home and shop hassle free. All it takes is the click of a mouse and it can be done from the comfort of their own living room. They can even buy their Christmas Gifts while watching the football.

As for women, internet shopping has significantly facilitated the career woman's life. In the past women stayed home looking after the children. They were required to do the shopping and the cleaning all while looking after screaming children and push-chairs. Then the career woman arrived. The career woman had to do everything the housewife did as well as work a full-time job. For those who can afford it nannies and housekeepers have heralded the answer. For those who can't, internet shopping has been a cheaper alternative. Before they came home tired from a long day's work and had to go to the shops to hunt down those last minute Christmas Gifts. Now they can sit the children in front of the TV and enjoy a few calm minutes of stress free shopping. Christmas Gifts are delivered to their door cutting out travel time and expense as well as shopping time. This allows the career woman to stay in and buy Christmas Gifts hassle free while giving her more time to spend with her family.

If you want to help your family with the Christmas planning this year why not get a Christmas Planner. It will help you keep track of all those Christmas Gifts and cards. But if you want to buy your mothers some extra special Christmas Gifts this year, why not try something a little different. You can always treat her to Pamper Experience Days out to thank her for all those lovely Christmas Gifts she's bought you in the past.