As of today there are only 46 more days until the last Christmas of the millennium. Where has the time gone! Before you blink, the yuletide season will be upon us, so you better start making a list and checking it twice.

Many local stores have already started stocking their shelves with Christmas goods, so it is easy to get a jump-start on Christmas 1999.

To avoid the post-holiday blues be sure to sit down, set a budget for your holiday expenditures and more importantly be sure to stick to that budget.

Make a list of the people you must buy presents for in your date book or file-o-fax, so whenever you hear someone mention something they would like to have for Christmas, you can jot it down.

Begin scouring the newspapers for sale on items you will need over the holiday and start stocking up. For some reason many moderate expenditures spread-out over a few months seem to hurt your pocketbook less than one enormous shopping spree.

By planning ahead, you may also find that you shop wiser, getting more bang for your buck than if you were to wait until the last moment and go shopping in a fit of pre-Christmas anxiety.

And if you see something that catches your eye, be sure to snap it up -- remember the early bird always catches the worm and gets the best gifts.

Any savvy shopper will also advise you to buy or lay away any toys or big-ticket items that might be in demand closer to the holiday season -- it is one way to avoid seeing the look of disappointment flash across your child's face when Santa fails to deliver a much wanted toy.

Toys `N' Stuff's Carol Bromby said the Church Street store was going to be well-stocked for the Christmas 1999 thus being able to cater to every child's wish-list.

"We are stocking up for Christmas so we should have lots of items to choose from,'' she said. "People are pretty good these days, they don't wait until the last moment. They know they have to shop early if they want the best selection.'' And Mrs. Bromby made a few predictions as to what toys will likely appear on most children's wish list. At the top of that list was of course the hot commodity of 1999 -- Pokemon.

"Pokemon will definitely be hot,'' she said. "We have a big shipment of Pokemon coming in, so we should be ready for the rush.

"The dolls, Kindergarden Babies, should be a big seller. We had quite a lot of them in and they sold out already. We are getting more in for Christmas.

"And its predicted that the new game, Sega Dream Cast, will be really big this Christmas.'' American industry insiders also predict that the following toys should ring-up good sales this Christmas: Amazing Ally, by Playmates.

Barbie (Millennium edition), by Mattel.

Furby and Furby Babies, by Tiger Electronics, a division of Hasbro.

Lego Mindstorms, by Lego.

Pop Radio, by Sound Bites.

Sesame Street Rock & Roll Elmo, by Fisher-Price, a division of Mattel.

Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace, many manufacturers, including Hasbro, Sony, Nintendo and Lego.

Toy Story 2, by Mattel.

WCW Tuff Talkin' Wrestlers, by Toy Biz.

WWF Titantron, by Jakks Pacific.

QX-3 Microscope, by a Mattel-Intel partnership.

* Source: the Associated Press.

As the holidays approach, time becomes more precious, so use it wisely. If you love to deck the halls with lots of holly and home-made crafts, begin making those time-consuming ornaments and decorations early.

If you want to send out family portraits for Christmas cards, make an appointment, gather your loved ones together and get into a photo studio as soon as possible because those airmail deadlines are right around the corner.

Officials at the Post Office said the anyone who wants to send some holiday cheer and yuletide greetings overseas needs to have their cards in the mail by the following dates: The Far East: November 25; Canada: December 4 by 9.30 a.m.; The West Indies: December 6; The United Kingdom: December 8 by 11.30 a.m.

The United States of America: December 10 by 9.30 a.m.; and Bermuda: December 15.

Since this is the last Christmas of the 20th century, you will find that your social schedule will be more hectic than last year.

Get a calendar and pencil-in parties so you and your spouse or significant other can keep track of where you must be on a given day. It will also help you avoid double-bookings and potential conflicts over which engagement you will attend.

Anyone with children should start making arrangements for baby-sitters over the yuletide season.

Stories have been trickling in of entrepreneurial-minded teens who have mastered the basic economic law of supply and demand with regards to New Years Eve. It has been said that some babysitters are charging some astonishing prices (in the three digit range) to supervise a child this New Years Eve.

Parents should also start signing their children up for any activities they want to enrol them in over the holiday break. Call ahead to the movie theatres and other local attractions to see if they are planning any festive events for youngsters and jot them down on the family social calender.

Remember a child's holiday social calender can be just as hectic as their parents.

By the end of this month, anyone who is planning to do a little entertaining over the holidays should have drafted a tentative menu for their soiree.

Once that is accomplished you can start stocking the cupboard with edible treats and begin baking your pastries or any other item that can be frozen in advance.

And if you are having overseas visitors staying with you over the holidays, be sure to clean out some closet and drawers space for them in advance.

You will be amazed how long it takes to sort out that spare bedroom closet and how much dust has accumulated since the last time you have a house guest.

Illustration by Corrine Rego Holiday tips: Santa's elves know some handy tips to help you get ready for the last Christmas of the millennium. According to those in the know, anything with the character Pokeman (see picture and story below) will be on most children's wish list this Christmas.