Oh, NOOOOO! It's holiday shopping time!

It might seem pretty early, but if you're internet shopping at Osan, you better get clicking. Items shipped parcel post routinely take 6-8 weeks, and could take longer in the holiday rush. Bigger items, especially, can be slow, and you don't want to have to try to explain why Santa didn't make it this year! Likewise, if you're sending Korean goodies back home to the states, ship them as soon as possible; you won't be sorry!

Do check out the BX before you start shopping online, to make sure they don't have what you want. If you see something you want, snap it up because it won't be there long. The same goes for Christmas decorations and other items.

If you're having trouble, here are some ideas that might help. Try buying smaller items, or items with less packaging to cut down on the size of the box. Priority mail will get here much faster, but there is a size and/or weight limit on the box. Click here to see eco-friendly toys from Amazon. These toys often have less packaging, and Amazon does a great job shipping here in a timely manner. The OSC has a list of companies that ship APO here; just scroll down to the section called 'Internet Shopping'. You can also get an account at APObox or Ship it APO. They will provide a U.S. street address for shipping, then forward your purchases to your APO box for a reasonable fee.

And, if you're looking for other alternatives to the usual toy orgy, click here for some other ideas.