A 30-DAY FREE TRIAL on free shipping from Amazon Prime. I signed up for Amazon Prime back when it started, and it changed the way I shop, for the better. Or you could just sign up for 30 days and ship all your Christmas stuff for free — your call!

UPDATE: Reader John Potter — a happy Amazon Prime subscriber — reminds that you have to cancel it after 30 days or you’ll be billed.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader Kevin O’Brien writes:

Prof Reynolds —

I’ve gotten in the habit, since buying into Prime, of just throwing interesting books and DVDs and whatnot into my cart, and pulling the trigger when (1) critical mass builds up, or (2) the big ticket item gets a price reduction (every price cut or hike is dutifully reflected, and the shopper is flagged on his next visit to amazon.com) or (3) I add a one-day only Gold Box item to the pile. One needn’t be a Prime customer to use this technique.

I did buy into Prime on your recommendation and am quite grateful. Transformative indeed.

I have followed several of your recs and they have always panned out well. A great example is the Presto rotating Pizza Oven. It not only cooks a great ‘za without the production involved in using the oven, but it fascinates kids. Made me into a favorite uncle overnight, it did. The one downside is the teflon coating is fragile and once it’s gone, eh.

I come to the blog for the pithy comments, congenial political and economic thought, and various links; and I stay for the shopping advice.

Now I’ve nearly pulled the trigger on the rotating pizza oven more than once — only my desire to keep the counters uncluttered has stopped me. Well, that and the Insta-Wife’s not-especially-great love for pizza. Me, I could eat pizza every day.