Whether you’ve been celebrating Hanukah, finished celebrating the Winter Solstice, or are looking forward to Christmas or Kwanzaa, most of us are opening gifts at this time of year. Some gifts are perfect! Some don’t quite fit our style. Instead of trekking to the return counters, tracking down receipts, or re-gifting, consider selling your surplus on E-Bay.

OK, I’ll admit I’m not a big eBay user, but I have friends who swear by it. They pick up the bargains of the century, unearth hidden treasures, and dump their junk for cash! One nice thing is that they don’t have to go out in the cold or fight the crowds to do it. And it just might be the start of a profitable sideline.

Christy, in Minneapolis, sent me a great story about a wedding veil maker who got her start as an entrepreneur selling handmade veils on eBay.

So there’s my gift to you, a good idea and a fun story. I want to thank all of you for signing up and staying with the Byte of the Week. As many of you know this is the end of my first year in business on my own and I have to say it’s been a great year – because of support from friends and colleagues such as you!