Home shopping bliss.

• Position: What's New? Holiday Gifts Galore - Home Shopping Network Inc.

Some people absolutely, positively dread shopping during the holidays. We've never understood that mindset. Gift--buying is an art, a skill, a sport, and a challenge--especially the latter at this time of year. Thus, it is with great anticipation that we await the retail extravaganza that each new season brings.

Trouble is, all the sales smarts and savings savvy built up over a lifetime of mall marathons don't do you a bit of good if the products you seek simply are nowhere to be had. Well, almost nowhere. In flipping the channels, we always stop on the Home Shopping Network. The prices are great, of course, but what really grabs our attention is the line-up of exclusive items. Heck, who doesn't want to give a present that's special and different?

What first pulled us in this season--no surprise here--was a sports item: a four-in-one Tennessee Titans NFL coat for just $99. The NFL Shop--only on HSN--boasts a real keeper with this outdoor garment, which, depending on how you work the zippers and Velcro, is either a heavy winter coat, windbreaker, fleece jacket, or vest.

The next item was another no-brainer, the Teddy-2-Cute-Santa ($25). We recalled seeing the stuffed animal's creator, David Murray, on the "Dr. Phil" show that featured everyday inventors. What appears to be an ordinary cuddly bear turns into Santa Bear--complete with red coat, white beard, and stocking cap--with a flip of his wrists and a nod of his head. Can you say "Merry Cuteness!"?

While we don't pretend to be up on all the latest trends, we know "scrapbooking" has become quite popular of late, whether it's a collection of vacation photos, wedding mementos, special notes from the grandkids, etc. So we knew we'd spotted a must-buy when we saw the Brenda Walton--illustrated The Sound of Memories Talking Scrapbook ($35), from K&Company, LLC, Parkville, Mo. Using her colorful garden...