We interrupt our series on health to note that Christmas Eve is six months from today! At this point, there’s no way to tell what Christmas 2020 will be like. Will we be able to travel to visit loved ones? Will there be Christmas parties? Will there be parades and entertainments and concerts? We just can’t know at this point.

But we can start preparing anyway:

Here are the things you should begin working on over the next few months:

• Update your Christmas card list. (If you don’t have one, make one.)

• If you plan to make gifts, now is a very good time to start. After all, you’re probably spending a lot of time at home. You can do a little at a time and still finish.

• Use some of your screen time to look for charming and unusual gifts for those you love. Give priority to small, local businesses and minority-owned businesses.

• Make a budget for the holidays. I tend to look at Halloween through New Year’s. It should include all aspects of your celebration: gifts, travel, food, entertainment, decorations, cards and postage, etc. Some of these may be tentative, but you won’t regret saving too much money. If you have not already started saving to cover these costs, start now. You should never go into debt to celebrate the holidays. Having a budget and saving throughout the year will allow you to keep control of your spending while prioritizing the things that mean the most to you. If you are out of work because of the pandemic, now is a great time to tell friends and family that you will celebrating differently this year. A year can pass without gifts and cards and parties. I promise; it’s still Christmas.