10 Christmas Preps

The best time to prep for Christmas is now, way before everyone else is doing their last minute holiday shopping, last minute mailing, etc.

1. Shop now for all of the food you will need for the holiday if you will be cooking/hosting Christmas dinner.
2. Shop now for gifts so you won't be shopping the weekend before Christmas (note that online shopping and gift cards makes this task much easier).
3. If you need to mail gifts, do so early--the lines at the post office can get pretty long a couple weeks before Christmas.  Note that mailing gift cards and checks makes this process much less hassle.
4. Hit up the Dollar Store for cheap gift wrap, cards, and Christmas decor.  Again, the earlier you do this, the better the selection.
5. If you will be traveling for the holiday do all of your travel planning now (buy airline tickets, reserve your hotel and rental car, etc).  The closer it is to the holiday the more expensive these things get.
6. If you will be having house guests, get prepped for that as well (kid proof your home, stock up on supplies and food, plan how you will secure firearms, etc).
7. Step up your personal security.  The holiday season is also the season for increased car break ins, home burglaries, muggings, etc.  
8. Spend within your means during the holidays.  Putting yourself in debt will impact your preparedness in many ways so don't do this.
9. Be fire safe.  Dried out Christmas trees, deep frying dinner, holiday candles...all of these things increase the chance of a fire.
10. Pay attention to your health and safety as well.  Don't skip your daily work out even though the holiday season is busy, be careful walking or driving in snow and ice, never use a combustion-type device like a BBQ grill to heat your home, stay a distance away from sick people so you don't catch seasonal viruses, etc.