As always, Christmas is a stressful and expensive time of year. As always, you promised yourself that this Christmas would be different and, to save yourself from potential heart failure, your gift shopping would be completed by the end of October. And as always, you ignore your own good advice and come the third week of December you haven't bought a single gift. Cold fear is setting in as the prospect of another fraught and bank-breaking Christmas approaches.

Don't let it occur this twelve months! Here's how to prevent a nervous breakdown this Christmas.

The first information to do is set yourself a budget for all your gift shopping. Count on that you will overspend your budget by at least 20%. It'll be a Christmas miracle if you don't, so allow for this. If you can't afford that 20% overspend then you definitely need to reduce your original budget.

Next make a list. This will take a little time but will show you exactly where you need to allocate your Christmas dollars. List every person you plan on buying a gift for. Include any neighbors or co-workers for whom you feel obliged to buy presents. Making a list also means you are less likely to forget anyone and therefore less likely to cause your blood pressure to rise even further.

Next allocate what you think is a reasonable amount to spend on each person. Remember to include the cost of gift wrap, gift tags, etc. You start to see how it's all adding up. If the total of your gift list doesn't fall within your budget, then you need to do some readjustment. Reduce individual gift allowances if you must. Be ruthless and realistic.

Don't leave gift shopping until the last minute. It is the surest way to blow your budget and send your stress levels rocketing. Remind yourself of the nightmare that is a trip to the mall mid-December. As Christmas hysteria sets in, you'll find yourself panic-buying and generally behaving like a headless chicken. Avoid this by starting your shopping early.

Buy gifts online. This allows you to browse internet shops in a leisurely fashion and avoid the frenzy of last minute Christmas shopping. Online shopping lets you plan clearly and avoid impulse purchases. Just be sure to order items in plenty of time to avoid missing Christmas deadlines.

Take into account the a handful of golden ideas to keep away from a panic attack this Christmas: Buy early; stick to the list; stick to the budget. Happy purchasing.