It seems one of the redeeming factors of a NYC transit strike in 2005 is that if you can’t get into the city to do your holiday shopping, at least online shopping has never been easier. Stay at home, don’t shower until noon and still get all your shopping done before Christmas.

There’s one silver lining to the New York City transit strike that has shut down buses and subways, while crippling many businesses. Online retailing – which has enjoyed robust sales this holiday season – is getting a further boost in the season’s final days, as New York area shoppers turn to the Internet for last-minute buying.

And there are at least a handful of merchants including jcrew.com and ice.com that are only too willing to help out by serving up free shipping aimed at New York area residents that guarantee arrival before Dec. 25.

Read more here.