The end of the long 4th of July weekend brings to mind many different associations. Firing up the grill cookouts. Lazy days at the pool. Fireworks displays on a grand scale. And Christmas preparations in July.

Contrary to what you must be thinking, I am not playing with a short deck.

A former co-worker let me in on this privileged secret and it has served me well ever since. Start preparing for Christmas around the 4th of July. Because before you know it, Labor Day will be upon us, then back to school shopping for those of us blessed with the pitter-patter of little street urchins. You won't have a chance to even catch your breath before it'll be time to start thinking about Halloween costumes and candy, and you know what that means ... Thanksgiving!

Practically everyone knows about Christmas clubs, those office savings account allowing employees to set aside a small amount each month so that when December rolls around they're not maxing out credit cards, paying off interest for the next twelve months.

You don't need an office club to set up your own holiday bank account. Saving an incremental amount every month isn't hard to do and much less painful than trying to pay down credit. Your plan doesn't have to involve a lot of money either. Twenty dollars one week, ten dollars the next. Just start socking away something every Friday like clockwork. You'll be amazed how quickly it will grow into a jolly fat nest egg.

Gift shopping is best done during the summer when many retailers drastically slash prices to make room for fall merchandise. Take an exploratory trip to your local mall and you'll be amazed at the number of deals on goods you can expect to pay full price for in September. For more information about shopping sales, this article is worth review.

Also, it's a well known fact that people spend more for gifts when they're under pressure to buy. Buying on a leisurely schedule helps conserve financial resources. The more you save, the further you'll be able to stretch a dollar as you approach the finish line this winter.

Now you may be saying to yourself, "That's crazy. I can't do my Christmas shopping now. Where will I hide all the presents?" and you would be right except I've come up with a system for that as well.

Use a lifeline. That means call a friend, a relative, or a neighbor you can trust. Someone with a home your loved ones are unlikely to snoop around in over the next five months. Ask if they wouldn't mind giving up a small corner of their attic, garage, or basement, perhaps an out of the way closet to help get your holiday shopping done. Hide gifts there, keeping in mind, of course, not to include whatever gifts you buy for that person.

Finally, handmade gifts can be beautiful and sentimental. If you're a creative type, why not start on those projects now? By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, it's almost too late to cobble something together. There's a slew of homemade gift ideas throughout the Internet, but to get started, this site has some wonderful links and projects.

Christmas in July. I can almost smell the eggnog.