With luck and a fake case of chicken pox, the desperate writer can finesse a deadline extension. For anyone struggling to overcome shopper's block during the holiday season, however, there can be no hope of getting Jesus Christ's birthday postponed.

The merchants also offer a night geared toward helping some men break their last-minute holiday shopping habits. The event includes refreshments, hors d'oeuvres, music and free gift wrapping. But most important, for a month before the event, store clerks can file away wish lists, and personal shoppers will be on hand during Men's Night Out to assist those who suffer from shoppers' block.

If you tend to get "shopper's block," consider a personal message, a chunk of time spent together, or a phone call as possibly "the best present."