And when they do, they are not always better than good old catalogs. Some sites take so long to navigate that you could drive to the store and be back with your purchases before you’ve found what you want online. Often the quality of the photos is poor.

In ordering online, be careful when giving credit-card information. You know you are in a secure area when the URL box in your browser reads ‘https” instead of “http.”

And be sure to get a confirmation on your order, whether on the Web site itself or by e-mail. In some of my dealings companies said they never received the order. And I never received the food.

The Web sites are all still too primitive to deal with custom orders. If they offer a gift basket with five items and you want five different items, you will still have to phone the company or e-mail it to see if something special can be created just for you.

Some of the sites, like ChefShop.com, which has unusual and excellent food, do not even have a place where the buyer can provide special instructions for delivery, like “leave at front door without signature.”

Sometimes it is not easy to find what you want. Grace’s Marketplace is located at fultonstreet.com, and to find Grace’s you have to click on three different places. What’s more, a panettone ordered directly from Grace’s is much less expensive than the same panettone ordered on the Web.

At one Web site I kept checking a quicker – and more expensive – form of delivery but to no avail. I finally had to call the company, making double work.

If you want something delivered by a certain date, always phone. If a Web site has no warehouse, the order goes to a middleman, adding time to delivery.

In shipping I found that no single system worked all the time or was as fast as the phone. Until there is someone at the other end who can instantly answer questions, the Internet will never be better. On the other hand, if you like to order at 3 a.m., the Web is the perfect medium.

Here are my choices of food gifts for the holidays. Unless other wise noted, orders can be placed on the Web site, and shipping is extra. The last date orders are accepted for Christmas delivery is included.