Sorry I'm a bit late. I'm on a business trip. But Christmas is 9 months away!

Here are some things you can do to help you be better prepared:

•Now that the weather is getting better, you might want to clean up and make repairs to the exterior of your house so that it will be a lovely backdrop for your Christmas decorations.

•As you travel for spring break or business, think about picking up small unique gifts from local shops.

•If you like to make gifts, now is a great time to start thinking about what you'll make. Some things take a long time or are easier to make seasonally. For example, if you want to give folks homemade strawberry jam, you probably shouldn't plan on starting in October!

What else can you do now to prepare?