Yes it is time to start thinking about Christmas. Don\'t stress out by waiting for the last minute rush. The following are the top 10 things you can do now to make the holidays a little less stressful.

  1. Plan early. Sounds simple but the number one reason why people stress out during the holidays is because they put everything off until the last minute.

  2. Set a budget. Let\'s face it, the Holidays can be expensive. We all have friends who go overboard during the holidays and end up paying off their credit cards for the rest of the following year.

  3. Make a list. Decide early-on what you want to get everyone. By taking the time upfront to decide what to get everyone you insure that the gift you give isn\'t an afterthought.

  4. Shop smartly and early. Believe it or not now is the time to shop, especially for toys. Those after thanksgiving sales aren\'t what they used to be; mostly they have become a bait and switch to get you out and into the stores with the rest of the world. Just avoid the hype and the headache.

  5. Order photo Christmas cards. If you haven\'t already done so, make an appointment with a local photographer and get those holiday photos made. Make sure when setting up the appointment that you can use your photos for your holiday cards. Don\'t do business with a photographer who will not give you permission to use the photos or only offers you the option to purchase their cards.

  6. Hide your purchases from prying eyes. Sounds simple, right? How many of us remember stumbling across Santa\'s stash a week or two before Christmas? Clever but most obvious hiding places include attics, closets, and offices. One idea is to look into month storage at a u-store-it place. For 50 bucks you can get 5X5 storage shed at most storage places remember you only need it for a couple months.

  7. Don\'t forget others in your life. Bosses, secretaries, employees, and civil servants are people too and deserve being recognized for their efforts this holiday season. The rules of thumb are to expect to spend around $25 on bosses, if you have a secretary or admin spend around $50 to $100, and on Civil servants like postal workers spend around $20.

  8. Make travel reservations. Traveling like the rest of the world this season? Make hotel reservations now. There is nothing like driving all night on a major interstate and doing the no-vacancy dance for an hour or two while you search for a hotel that is available and doesn\'t cost two hundred bucks. Also, by planning ahead you can find a Fido-friendly hotel.

  9. Decorate. Obvious right but too often we put the same tired decorations up that we used last year and the year before and the year before that. Go out to a craft store and get something new. Throw out your old tree lights and get some new ones. How many houses burn down because of old Christmas tree lights?

  10. Be charitable:
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  • The troops. We have troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan, right wrong or indifferent you need to show your support. Whatever happened to all the supply drives to support our troops? Did you know that many of our troops are going on third, fourth, and fifth deployments?

  • The Less fortunate. How can the wealthiest nation in the world still have people go hungry (not just during the holiday season)? Children and the elderly may be the only real victims of circumstance. This season give a little extra to help support the toys for tots, local food banks, and local shelters. Stop by an eldercare facility and spend some time with someone new, you may make a new friend. Many if not most of these non-profit organizations depend on holiday giving to meet their annual budget.
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Amy Ames owns http://www.doodlebugdezigns.com a site devoted to uniquely designed photo Christmas cards, birth announcements, and trendy custom stationery.