Christmas shopping with Bitcoin

For those of us who prefer to avoid the in-store mania that is part and parcel of the Christmas shopping season, Bitcoin offers a quiet alternative. More and more businesses are accepting Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as payment for their products: electronics, clothing, jewelry, flowers, vacations, gold and silver coins, handmade crafts, basketball game tickets, tools, home improvement supplies, art, and let’s not forget gift cards.

For the techies in your life, you can buy presents from Tigerdirect or Newegg or Dell or, from Xbox Windows Store. For clothes, watches, and jewelry you can visit Overstock, one of the first major online retailers to accept Bitcoin. BitDazzle is also a good option; it offers discounts to those who pay using Bitcoin.

Looking for some romance? Check out 1-800Flowers for that perfect holiday bouquet. Or if you simply want to get away from it all, book your flights and hotels from Cheapair, BTCtrip or Expedia.

If you have a coin collector on your list, several online retailers now accept Bitcoin as payment:  GoldSilverBitcoin, Coinabul, Agora Commodities, and Amagi Metals.  Or, If you are looking for unique handmade gifts, go on Etsy. They have deals with almost 100 retailers that accept Bitcoin for their special merchandise.

For the art lovers on your list or for a gift that needs to impress, visit Bitpremier, the  luxury marketplace that sells artwork, antiques, jewelry, watches, cars, and real estate. Did you ever think you would be able to buy a house or car with a cryptocurrency?

The Sacramento Kings is the first professional sports team to accept Bitcoin as a payment method for tickets and team merchandise. So, if you have an NBA fan on your shopping list who lives near Sacramento, tickets are an option.

And for those of us who lack inspiration, there’s always the gift card.  Websites such as Gyft.com offer gift cards for over 200 retailers including Target, Amazon, Best Buy, Gamestop, and many more. They accept payment with Bitcoin, and offer special discounts for customers who use this form of payment.  

The cryptocurrency is fast becoming mainstream, with more and more users shopping at a wider variety of online stores. It will be interesting to see what’s in store in 2015. More information about the progress Bitcoin made in 2014 will be posted in January 2015, when we will analyse the leap forward that Bitcoin made this year.

Until next time, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!