Christmas Eve is 7 weeks from today! I have to admit that that fact surprised me a bit too!

That means it's time to increase the intensity of our preparations:

• Start addressing and writing your Christmas cards. If you do a few each day, it will be a far easier and more pleasant task.
• Begin placing online orders for gifts in case there's a back order situation.
• If you need to ship gifts, buy them as soon as possible.  You'll want to leave plenty of time for shipping.  Why pay premium prices for overnight shipping because you didn't plan ahead?
• Keep working on any gifts you are making.
• Decide on menus – for Christmas or New Year's parties, for Christmas dinner, and for your bakng lineup.
• If you have enough storage space given your Thanksgiving needs, begin stocking up on baking and cooking supplies you will need for the holidays. Typically, the best prices for these supplies are between Halloween and New Year's.  If you bake a lot, consider buying extra of supplies that keep or freeze well.
• If you have freezer space, consider double-cooking at least once a week this month. Eat half of what you cook and freeze the other half so that you will have fast and easy home-cooked meals when things get busy in December. That will help keep you from resorting to fast-food and takeout.

Keep at it. Doing a little bit each week makes all the difference!