I think rushing around at the last minute is as much a Christmas tradition as soothing cups of eggnog and roaring fires. At least it is around our house.

My mom and I used to live for the rush. We'd jump into the cold car, crank up the heater, blast Christmas carols on the radio, and embark on a last minute adventure to find that "just right" gift for anyone we hadn't crossed off the list yet.

When I'd get a little frazzled, Mom would tell me, "Patience, little one, patience." I'd sigh heavily - mostly for effect - but I knew she was right. And my theatrical sigh was as calming as letting out a deep breath.

Looking back, I see my mom was a lot smarter than any of us gave her credit for.

At my age, the crush of the rush is harder to shrug off with a weighty sigh, but I've managed to kept the tradition alive with my kids. We just do our "rushing" online these days. Even if you're late out of the starting gate, the magic of the Internet makes it easy to get that "just right" gift delivered just in time for Christmas. Which is even better than endless cute kitty videos...at least in December!