"I start thinking about gift shopping early now ... and aim to end early. I know I cannot wait until December. The overseas gifts alone need to be bought, wrapped, packed, and mailed by mid-November just to make sure they arrive by Christmas. And knowing we'll see families at Thanksgiving whom we may not see at Christmas prompts me to get those presents ready early to save post-office trauma later. So while it may seem strange to start focusing on Christmas when it's only October, I've learned by experience it is not, by a long shot, too early for me. As the Chinese proverb says, 'Prepare your silken coat before it rains, and don't wait until you are thirsty to dig a well.'" ~ Lynn Bowen Walker, Queen of the Castle (Integrity Publishers, 2006).