Christmas Eve is 16 weeks from today!  Here are a few tasks to jump-start your preparations:

• Make your travel decisions.  If you will need plane tickets, plan on purchasing them by the end of this month at the latest.  Capacity may be very limited this year and you don't want to be scrambling for high-priced, inconvenient flights atthe last minute.
• If you plan to make any Christmas gifts, determine what supplies you will need and place any special orders you might need.  If you need anything online, order it soon to avoid problems from shipping delays.
• If you haven't done your holiday budget yet, do it now.  You budget needs to include gifts, decorations, entertainment expenses, holiday foods, travel, wrapping, cards, and shipping.  Extra bills are NOT a good suprise present.