Remember last Christmas, when you swore you wouldn't wait until the last minute again to get your gifts together — but you did?

Well, we've rounded up a few experts in the Efficiently Organized category to help you have a stress-free holiday this year.

"It's not as if we can't get a grip on this. ... It's like taxes," said Pam Chambers, a highly organized presentation coach from Niu Valley. "Why should we be surprised when (Christmas) comes?"

According to the National Retail Federation, 40 percent of Americans will start buying Christmas gifts before Halloween this year — so there's no excuse.

"I don't see anyone having fun when they're shopping on Dec. 24," Chambers said. "And this is well within our control. Getting organized isn't as painful as it may sound."

All it takes is a little effort, a calendar, a couple of free weekends and some determination to get it together in time for Christmas. "You'll have peace of mind and a sense of satisfaction and joyous anticipation," Chambers said, "instead of dread and worry and fretfulness."

Maybe this year, you'll enjoy the holiday.

It's the obvious first step. Write a list of everyone you need to buy gifts for — including co-workers, neighbors and grab bags for Christmas parties.

Presentation coach and consultant Pam Chambers makes her list in mid-October. Next to each name she writes down a gift idea with a projected dollar amount. That way she knows what she's buying for whom and how much she's allotted to spend.

"I keep track of that list all year," Chambers said. "If someone says they love a certain color or they have a favorite candy from a certain store, I'll make a note of that."

2. BUY GIFTS ALL YEAR

You don't have to wait for the holiday sales to buy Christmas gifts. Stock up all year. You'll have less to buy when the malls get crowded during the annual holiday rush.

Chambers has a drawer in her Niu Valley home where she keeps gifts she buys year-round. These items — candles, journals, kitchen towels, notecards, soaps — come in handy when she needs a gift pronto. "I could pull a gift for anyone outta there right now," she said. "There's enough variety, for any gender, any age."

3. SCHEDULE YOUR SHOPPING

You shouldn't tackle all of your shopping in one day. It's unrealistic — and stressful.

Leslie Morishige, 58, a telecommunications manager at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, goes shopping twice a year with her sisters — once in April on the Big Island, another in November on O'ahu. She's done with all of her Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving.

"I hate shopping, but this is really fun," she said. "We hit all the craft fairs, all the shopping centers, all the boutiques ... We shop together and get ideas (from each other)."

4. SHOP WITHOUT THE KIDS

There's nothing more stressful than dragging around your bored and tired kids on your shopping excursion.

"Hire a baby sitter," said Joni Redick, a financial representative at The Guardian Life Insurance Co. and mother of two. "When you're not buying anything, then take them to the mall to enjoy the displays."

5. SHOP ONLINE

It's quick, easy and hassle-free. For local flavor, be sure to check into local vendors with online sites.

"It eliminates traffic and lines," said Redick, who buys gifts from her stash of Mary Kay items. (She's a rep.) The big timesaver here is that gifts can be sent to the Mainland — with wrapping! — without standing in line at the post office.

Just be wary of pricey shipping costs or hidden charges; some sites offer free shipping, but they may require that you spend a certain amount.

6. PRIORITIZE

If you find yourself stressing out about one particular part of the holidays, maybe you should rethink it.

Chambers gave up sending Christmas cards. (She used to mail out 300 every year.) And she found that no one really misses them.

"It's not that I don't want to say, 'Merry Christmas,' but I just had to let that go," she said. "It may take courage because there are these things called traditions and rituals that we've all had for years. And it might seem scary to break them. ... But sometimes you have to let something go."

7. HAVE A WRAPPING PARTY

If it's fun, it won't seem like such a chore.

That's what Morishige does with wrapping Christmas gifts. She and her two sisters gather every year at their mom's house in Kaimuki to wrap presents.

"We have all the wrapping paper ready," she said. "We camp out at my mom's house where she serves four meals a day. It's fun."

Another tip: Wrap gifts as you shop. That way you won't be bogged down with wrapping presents days before Christmas.

"Everything is done 10 days in advance," Chambers said.

8. SWAP GIFTS FOR QUALITY TIME

Instead of fretting over buying gifts for co-workers or groups of friends, schedule a dinner or Sunday potluck instead. Hit the surf one morning or the clubs one night.

Chambers meets with friends for dinner — sans gifts. Sometimes they'll schedule their Christmas get-together in January, when the holiday rush is over.

Two years ago her family decided to ditch material gifts and went to Santa Monica together. Instead of opening gifts on Christmas day, they shared stories, listened to music and reminisced. "It was so special," she said. "We didn't need things from stores."

9. GIFT CARDS ARE GOOD

They're easy to buy — and people love them, Chambers said. And don't worry about gift cards being impersonal. Add a small present with the gift card or individualize the wrapping.

"Wrap them beautifully where the presentation is part of the gift," said Chambers, who once was opposed to gift cards. "You can make the presentation personalized to that individual and that makes the gift card less impersonal."

10. SKIP COOKING

If baking cookies and slaving in the kitchen is a chore to you, why not order out?

For the past few years, Chambers has been ordering complete meals from local hotels — and for her, it's been worth the extra cost.

"All you have to do is heat them up," she said. "The house still smells like you've been cooking all day." It's important to order ahead of time. Most restaurants sell out. "I love to eat," said Redick, who also skips the holiday cooking, "but I leave the cooking to the experts."

Reach Catherine E. Toth at ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.