Since starting your Christmas shopping is part of the Christmas countdown now, I just wanted to toss out a few hints to help you with your shopping:

• Work from a list.  It's amazing what you'll forget if you don't write it down.
• Remember, you aren't shopping for yourself.  You are shopping for what someone else wants.  Buy to their taste, not yours.
• If your are ordering online, try to gang your purchases to save on shipping.
• If you want gifts that are out of the ordinary, take your shopping out of the mall.  Try boutiques, museum stores, and craft fairs.
• Don't get so caught up in buying one big fabulous present that you discard the idea of several small related gifts.
• Do your shopping in small batches so it never becomes a burden.