You probably don't want to hear this, but Christmas is only a few weeks away!

And if this thought brings you out in a cold sweat, then I've got some good news for you.

Today sees the beginning of my guide to buying everything you need for the festive season on the internet.

My next few columns will be devoted to giving you some suggestions on where to look for food, drink, gifts and toys.

To put you in the mood, here are some ideas for Christmas trimmings.

Liberty of London is world-renowned for selling the ultimate in luxury accessories, some of which can now be purchased online from its stylish website.

Head for the 'Special Occasions' department at the top of the home page, where you'll find a dedicated Christmas section full of indulgent goodies and decorations.

Treat yourself to lilac and purple spotted baubles (£15.95 each), stunning silver crackers (£29.95 for six) or a chocolate-filled wire Christmas tree (£6.95).

December 18 is the last date for orders.

There's nothing more festive than the soft glow of candles.

Stock up online from the Candle Shop, the internet version of the popular Covent Garden store.

This colourful site is easy to use and offers discounts for buying direct. The Christmas section includes gold and silver, Advent and tree candles as well as Father Christmas candleholders.

Traditional pillar and church candles in all sizes can be bought in bulk (packs of six and 12 upwards) for even greater savings.

If you're fed up with shop-bought crackers, why not have your own custom-made, courtesy of Totally Crackers.

The site is basic and you can't order online but it does give you a flavour of what's possible.

E-mail them with your preferred colour scheme and they will send you samples of paper and decorations to choose from.

Then select the presents to go inside from the long list of options, which you will find on the 'Prices' page.

If you wish, you can create a different cracker for each member of the family and even send in your own (small) gifts to be incorporated in each one.

For Christmas cards, take a look at Charity Cards.

They sell over 200 different sets, produced by a range of charities, with something to suit all tastes.

You can search by category for humorous, biblical, characters/animals or multi-design packs, or by your favourite charity.

Charity Cards says its prices are the same as you would find in high street shops but with a greater proportion going to the charity concerned.

The final deadline for orders is December 13.

www.liberty-of-london.com
www.candles-sales.com
www.totallycrackers.co.uk
www.christmascards.co.uk