As the air turns crisp and the days grow short, we know that the Christmas season is approaching, and with it, the excitement of the holidays. The ornaments, the songs, the parties and church services all remind us of the joy we've always felt at this holiday time of the year. And, for the children, the promise of Santa Claus's visit always dominates this wonderful season.

Most parents are happy to enlist as Santa's helpers during the holiday season. The only people who enjoy Christmas morning as much as little children are their parents. Watching a child see the presents under the tree, for the first time on Christmas morning is one of the most wonderful sights for any parent. A few weeks later, though, when the bills arrive, many moms and dads wish that Santa hadn't been quite so generous.

Parents could save themselves a lot, each year, if they'd do their homework before shopping. Once they know exactly what their children want for Christmas-something most parents are well aware of by Halloween-a little bit of price comparison might reveal some real deals, available. Reading the shopping inserts in the Sunday paper are a great way to study prices.

Parents might find the best deals online for the most sought-after toys, especially early in the shopping season. Often the retailers who have stores in the mall also have extensive internet presence, and sporadic deals which are only found on their web pages. The cost of shipping is an added expense with online shopping, but sales tax is usually nonexistent.

Parents should never leave the house to shop without a written list of what they plan to buy. Then, while shopping, they should account for everything they spend, beyond keeping receipts. A running acccount of everything that is purchased on a single shopping trip can be a deterrent to overspending.

Once the Christmas shopping for the kids is done, parents need to put it out of their minds until Christmas morning. Too often, parents want to add that extra little spark to their kids' Christmas day, so they find themselves, at the last minute, running back to the store for just a little more. Then they exceed the budget, and usually wind up buying something that gets thrown away soon after it's opened.

Avoiding the pressure to overindulge their children isn't easy for parents, at Christmas. But kids are happiest when their families are happy. And once they have the two or three things they asked Santa to bring them, kids just want to feel the love and fellowship of their families, on Christmas. That kind of love has no price.